


There Is No Truth

by Reagan_The_First



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Badass Lucy, Emotional Damages, Everyone Is Here Trust Me, F/M, Fairy tail au, I need help, Slow Burn, Star Conjuring, The Whole Gang's In Town, This one's gonna sting, Zodiac Spirits, fairy tail - Freeform, tagging is hard
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-30
Updated: 2018-12-07
Packaged: 2019-02-08 17:41:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 13
Words: 46,958
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12869706
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Reagan_The_First/pseuds/Reagan_The_First
Summary: Lucy was harvested when she was young, gifted with the incredible and rare power of a Celestial Spirit Mage, she was chosen.  Though there was little agreement. Tests and excruciating experiments were preformed on her due to this gift of the Cosmos. How will Fiore fair when a powerful new breed of Spirit Mage is settling onto its streets? Fairy Tail may be the only guild possible of containing the fire that burns in this Stars Heart.





	1. The Twin Castor

She had little choice but to give the gate all her magic, after the last few time she had learned her lesson about selfish over her power. The ritual began as it had eight times before, Lucy had been placed in front of the Eclipse Gate and was electrocuted with magic power for a direct response. She could feel her skin jumping with excitement and energy, magic dripping from her. A glow emitted around her softly, but grew with every step she took toward the gate. 

 

Lucy could feel the eyes of the guards on her, a distinct unease on her back. The pull of the gate kept her from anxiety, there criticisms repelled by the magnetism of the gate. 

 

It was larger than Lucy remembered, looming over the crowd of onlooking soldiers. Printed in golds and greens, with highlights of blue, the Eclipse Gate was kept in gorgeous condition though it’s age proceeded ancients. 

 

The door was adorned with a ceramic design, twelve spokes erupting from a glistening sun as the centerpiece. Blue and gold pillars of color ran up the door to meet the star, golden flushes dramatizing the bottom of the gate. The guardians on either side of the opening shadowed green, intricate with designs and symmetric formats. 

 

She continued to take steps, gravitating towards the bearer of the magic. With every footfall Lucy’s senses enhance, she felt each particle of air as she walked past, her ears picked up on every breath taken by the guards. Her nose inhaled the fear, and she tasted the tension. 

 

Adrenaline bounded through her, a drug that she could never get addicted to but was forced to endure. Lucy slowed as she approached, her neck forced to an unnatural angle due to the length of the protruding door. The stage-like stairs leading to the gate’s platform were just paces ahead. 

 

“You know what to do, miss Heartfilia.” Arcadios’ voice rang out through the auditorium, abruptly stopping Lucy. 

 

A fury spread solidly through her, taking over her epinephrine state. She clasped her fingers to her palms, nails biting into the skin with little ease, past scars preventing damages. Her Assignist, as he called himself, was the White Knight. Under whose orders Lucy was to be toyed with and slaved into a war weapon. 

 

With no argument she nodded, and neared the steps to the regal door. Her magic power climbed, increasing and fluctuating generously as she grew closer. Spark of light flung from her in wisps, flipping from the air and whipping anything they came in contact with. 

 

The first stair was a barrier, there was no retreating after it. She forced her foot down onto the stone with little remorse, feeling herself scream in anguish as though she was being ripped to shreds. The magic that had been gathering in her body was pulsating, ripping from her body to the field around the gate. 

 

Each time before had grown in it's level of excruciating withdrawals, her first summon had begun with a purging of herself. The wickedness in her soul had been cast away by Celestial Divinity. The summoning process had been nearly effortless, like the spirit had wanted to have been trapped under Lucy’s dominion. 

 

But the second time she summoned from the Eclipse Gate had been horrifying. It left the girl’s body in tatters, scars still run over her skins for the experience years prior.

 

Lucy pushed herself into the wall of magic, her form colliding dangerously in an attempt to break through. Her fingers gripped at the intangible fortress, digging into the boundary with purpose. She found her nails shattering through, her hand following rushingly. The wall dragged against her skin like broken glass, splintering and running deep red gashes along her.

 

Lucy bit her tongue from a scream, determination forcing her arm through. Her fist connected recklessly, fracturing further the barrier. She fought her way through, tears of agony streaking her cheeks. 

 

She felt the first sign of leeway, her knees slipping from a crack that had trailed from her assault. Her every attempt brought the pain to the forefront, cascades of blood dropped from her broken through limbs. 

 

The barrier wavered for a moment, Lucy’s magic power overwhelming the force before it held fast as she punched her second arm through. She gripped from the inside, tearing at the seams. 

 

A crack burst as Lucy shoved her hips against the wall. Her body fell through with a miserable cry, her magic evaporating without her permission as she laid on the set of steps. Gasps of air filled her lungs, the light had drowned immediately and the large scape was silent and black. 

 

Her body was riddled with slices, and her prior energy ad been extinguished with her magic power. 

 

“Give me strength,” She murmured to herself, lifting her heavy head to look at the glowing spoke of the Eclipse Gate. She recognized the meaning, the spirit she was being forced to conjure and concur, the last of the Zodiac that had been shared between herself and Yukino; Gemini. 

 

Before the experiments on the only accessible spirit mages had begun, there was very little knowledge of the Zodiac Spirits, their aspects were a difficult process to understand. They seemed to be fiction over reality, legends from the past and nothing more. Though the myths were real, and Lucy knew them, because she owned them. 

 

“Open the heavens,” Lucy began, pulling herself from the cold stone steps. She fixed her shoulders strongly, possessing little confidence but out of habit. “Allow thee to survey your grace,” The words flew from her tongue with little restraint. She had worked against the ritual in the past, but her efforts were in vain. The Assignists control the gate, and the gate controlled her when the ritual was in motion. 

 

“Show me thine divine subject, and let me suffer in thine light,” Her arms outstretched before her, resting with open palms aimed at the sky. Blood coated her white suit, shreds garnered it’s sleeves and pants. She took steps towards the Eclipse Gate her body giving off waves of magic power as she drew closer. The pain she had felt was nonexistent in the euphoria that the gate provided for her. 

 

“Permit me thy aspect, favor thy commitment and grant me the stars.” A ringing filled her ears as magic leaked from every pore. Lucy lifted her gaze to the sparking obelisk, her body beginning to faze from reality. Assimilating to the Spirit Realm. 

 

Light exploded from her, and with the flash she was gone. 

 

“That makes twelve,” The White Knight voiced, turning to the short but commanding man next to him. His dark eyes were fixated on where the girl’s body had been seconds prior. 

 

The guards surrounding the gate shook, hair singed from the wisps that has burst from her. Their weapons were at the ready, knowing when the girl returned there was a possibility that the Eclipse Gate may open. 

 

“I pray you have not pushed her past her limits, Arcadios.” He returned. Emotions lacking from his face, never taking his attention from the door. 

 

“You would be surprised what this young woman may endure.” He said, following his gaze down with tension. 

 

~~~

 

“You are impressive.” The voice was mimicking itself, as if said twice. 

 

The scene surrounding Lucy was crystal clear, nearly like she had been blind for her entire life, and had just gained the ability to see. It had been different each summon. The constellation of the Spirit she had begun her summoning with floated in the glass underneath her. 

 

The forms of Gemini danced together, and seemed to wave in the stained floor. Columns of blue led towards the dark sky, giving way to a roofless pavilion exposing countless stars. Perfection circled around them, gold lacing with light blue and contrasted by blood reds. 

 

“They said you would be. And they said you would come.” The voice said after Lucy remained silent. Her breathing was slow and labored, she clutched her arms in an attempt to regain her placement. She sighed dejectedly before standing lamely, weight bouncing a moment between feet before settling. 

 

“They told us not to be afraid.” The echo of the miniscule, yet overwhelming call rang through the auditorium. She blonde remained where she stood, her confidence shriveling. 

 

“I wish I could console you.” She spoke for the first time, the heavenly realm seeming to spiral around her. She knew that the second she turned around she would be forced to gain control over the Spirit. 

 

The stars began twisting outside the pavilion. “We are content with our fate.” They sounded distant yet right in Lucy’s ear. 

 

The woman sighed. “I wish for you to understand the treachery that I will be submitting you to.” She said hesitantly, her first summoning had gone nothing akin to this. She had had little idea what to expect from the gate, and the first time she attempted to break through its barrier she had nearly assimilated. 

 

“We have conversed with the others, we know of the treacheries that you would be subjected to if not for your success. We do not wish that upon you, summoner.” Kindness leaked from them, bouncing off the columns and to Lucy. 

 

“You have sacrificed much to enter the Spirit Realm,” They continued, approaching her by their decibel change. “Your body has taken a toll from your nine summons.” Their observation had been one that Lucy had yet to acknowledge, she could feel herself losing touch with the world at times but thought little of it. 

 

“I am aware, unfortunately.” Lucy said, her curiosity was beginning to peak. She itched to view the Spirit of Gemini, know what made them tick, what she could do to prevent pain for them. 

 

“Aquarius has warned us against agreeing.” The voice said, again closer. Lucy sighed, closing her eyes in defeat. “Though we have been affirmed by your other seven Spirits that you are accustomed. May we trust you, Lady Lucy?” The disembodiment found Lucy’s eyes as she turned, she was met by two figures. 

 

They resembled small dolls, adorning difference in apparel. They floated peacefully in front of her, one had the expression of a sewn smile, while the other a frown. She recalled when Sorano had began summoning through the Way Of The Key, before she began Blood Summoning. She had met with Gemini, and her previously obtained Zodiac, Aries. 

 

Their appearances did little to shock Lucy, she took a shaky breath and bowed deeply before the Spirit. “I may prove it in the future, but I shall do you no harm, Gemini.” She had rehearse a more appropriate and accomplished speech but could barely muster out what she did. 

 

The longer she stayed in the Spirit World, the worse condition she would be in once returning to her reality. “We also understand that you wish you use us for negative reasons.” 

 

Lucy’s stomach lurched, she felt herself nearly gag. Gemini was not a bashful Spirit as Aries. “I have no intent for evil doings, though my masters… I cannot indulge the same generosity.” She said, sadness seeping into her voice. Self consciousness rose in her throat, crossing her arms protectively over her chest she sighed. 

 

“I will not lie to you, and I understand your hesitance and your refusal. But I beg of you not to put my master’s misdeeds onto me. I am but a slave, doing that of a god. And I deeply apologize for it.” She could feel the scars along her skin burning with resilience, coming to life under her overwhelming anger. She felt her fingernails dig into her arms as she remembered the physical traumas she had endured for the study of Celestial Mages. 

 

“You need to apologize for nothing,” The change in tone caught her off guard, she was met by the gaze of herself. Blonde curls falling down her shoulders, the normally pristine white leather suit wrinkled and stained with red. 

 

“We know who you are,” Lucy could only lean back, unnerved and petrified with further curiosity. “We trust you.” There was a plume of smoke, something that filled Lucy’s lungs but had no depth. 

 

Gemini appeared in front of her again, the twin castor’s blue forms hovering a short distance from the young woman. “We will be your champions.” They giggled together. 

 

Lucy smiled, depression in the creases of her lips. “Please, know that I cannot give you a just beginning?” Her attempts at recruiting Spirits had changed over the years that she had done it. 

 

“We do not need justice, your kindness is all we shall expect.” They resolved. 

 

Lucy sighed indignantly. “Well, are you not both peaches?” Her smile crept to her cheeks, she took a deep breath and released herself from her worries. “Shall I begin the contracting?” Her question was answered with a resounding yes.

 

Lucy’s heart spun for a moment before silencing, everything stopped. The constellations that had been previously circling the pavilion halted, the Twin Castors froze. The air grew thick with magic power as the mage began her ritual. 

 

“The eyes of the stars abide by thou’s rules,” She began, head turning upwards her, hands lay flat, palms aimed towards the roofless ceiling. “Thou’s rules are under my jurisdiction,” The chant began to fill the atmosphere, turning the dark sky to a lavender and gold. 

 

Magic swirled desperately around the pavilion whipping the surroundings with unpurposeful violence. “I shall gain possession of this star, thou’s constellation may be granted to me,” Gemini began to vibrate out of the dimension, turning gold as Lucy’s eyes took over with the color. 

 

Her incantation filled with magic power, she could feel herself loosening her grip on sanity. The expense her of magic power takes currency of her sound mind. “Tetrabiblos has granted me the aspect of perfect,” Her voice commanded every living thing, the Celestial World wavering under her control. 

 

“I summon Gemini.” Yet she whispered, the powerful verse broke the sky. The blue shattering to pieces.

 

~~~

 

“As I said, it was fine. The girl lived.” Arcadio's spoke slowly, meeting with the troubling man after the ritual had taken place. 

 

“The fact that you expected her not to is the problem. You know what happened to the first girl, we do not need another accident like that.” Darton’s grey brows creased in disapproval, standing solemnly outside Lucy’s cell. 

 

“Karen Lilica was a mistake that I will not make again. These girls,” The White Knight cast his gaze to the blonde, she lay strewn on her bed. Body mangle and chained in precaution. Within the first few times of summoning a Zodiac Spirit the two had realized the dangers of having beings as powerful as the three girls that they did, unsupervised and unrestrained. “They are much stronger.” He finished, sword tip connecting with the ground. 

 

“If you are so certain…” Darton sighed as he looked at the young girl, her reckless beauty dangerous beyond any measure. 


	2. In Death Comes Lessons

“Speak out of place again, Star Freak, and you’ll get a worse punishment than what you got off with.” The three guards that were positioned to watch her cell strode off, likely figuring that the damages that they had dealt would leave the blonde incapacitated. 

Lucy laid on the floor of her pristine white cell, drops of blood leaking from slices and injury that she had earned with a comment aimed towards the men hired to keep her in her cage. She could only assume that the trio was going to make known their presence in Three and Two’s hall. 

Magic binding restraints withdrew her ability to summon, though no other physical obstacle stopped her. She gathered a breath before sitting up, her head pounded against her skin. She rolled to her feet, pacing in frustration. 

The feeling of something working against her barrier itched at her mind. She could feel a Spirit rubbing against her restraint on magic. Lucy shook her head in response, a silent signal to the Spirit that it was little use. 

“Contact is impossible from your side to mine within these bonds. I am merely able to speak one sidedly to you.” She said, walking to her bed with a limp, and sitting on crossed legs. Her eyes trailed down her arms and to the open wounds that had been dealt to her. 

“How...unpleasant.” She muttered, wrapping a hand around the cut to suppress the bleeding. She was aware that her legs would be covered in bruises within the next few hours. 

“I suppose I deserved it, though you would think that I’d have learned years ago that the consequences to my actions are paid with tax.” Her mind wandered to her pen and tablet on the cherry wood table beside her twin bed. 

As her cell laid out, there was not a square inch inaccessible to the eye from the missing wall. Bars of energy and magic prevented her from escaping, and kept her cell open. Privacy was not a wish granted to her, nor the other girls that were in the Celestian Experiments. 

She wasn’t privileged with a window, the toilet and sink connected to the far wall were considered her luxuries. Everything in her room was the purest of white, with wooden and crystal accents. Lucy scoffed at the supposed healing stone, the lacrima created a more aesthetic atmosphere but that’s about all it did. 

The blonde sat grumpily on her bed, ink spilling over the pages of a notebook that she knew would be burned the second a guard realized she’s touched it. A composition to her mother gradually began to etch into the pages, hand tracing delicate words to existence on the page. 

“Four.” Her head snapped up from the paper, gaze falling on a handful of escort guards standing outside her cell. They held chains, along with their weapons, Lucy knew what it meant. “Playtime.” 

Her assignment number was Four, there had been three summoning mages prior to her arrival. Lucy had only ever seen two of the other three, she battled with both of them nearly daily. Which was what the intention of the chains were alluding to, she knew it had reached daylight if she was being summoned to exercise. 

It’d been a matter of days since she created her contract with Gemini, and she was aware she’d be expected to perform with her new Spirit in her training. Lucy left her pen and pad on her sheets, stalking to the vibrating bars. 

The guards latched the cuffs on her hands, links dangled down to her ankles. The cell slowly lost its blue emission as the light from the barrier were dissipated to nothing. The guards worked quickly to attach the second restraints to the girl’s ankles, along with a sack over her head to protect the layout of the castle’s underground. 

Though it did little good, Lucy had long since learned her way around the catacombs of the Highpoint of Fiore. She could navigate with no problem through the ins and outs of the cave systems, all laced in confusing white. 

The foot falls of the palace guards kept her from leading herself, she made quirky movements as though she couldn’t see where she was headed. The blonde counted her steps carefully, becoming fully aware that the arena room was a few hundred steps away. 

She entered with little resistance, the guards undoing her second form of shackles and the bag that impaired her vision. “Really, you’d think that after eleven years you’d have a better form of protection over my eyes than a potato sack.” She grumbled as the rough fabric was ripped off. 

“Perhaps that is all you deserve, Four.” One of the guards said, guiding her into the arena. The hall was vast, it ceilings stretched to a height that allowed for a scale of a battling room. The area was white with dense blues decorating. 

She was shoved in the direction of a pattern in the stone floor, the arena where she trained everyday.  A light blue barrier protruded from the ground, reaching a pinnacle at the ceiling. Lucy fell through, catching herself on the inside. The arena tried to spit her out as the bonds works against her magic. She stuck her wrist through the intense blue glow and the cuffs were undone, falling to the floor. The girl quickly pulled her hands back through, singed by the magic. 

“Hello, Four.” The soft voice called behind her as she rubbed the scars on her wrist from the years of scheduled magic burn. A young woman stood opposite Lucy, her silver hair was bobbed against her face. Deep hazel eye boring into Lucy’s umber ones, she wore a suit identical to her. White shimmering against their curvy forms. 

“Hey Three.” Lucy said taking steps from the arena’s edge, she stood with confidence unlike the days prior. Hand on her hips and weight adjusted comfortably. 

The other girl looked her up and then down, worry in her eyes. “It seems that you may have angered our keepers yet again?” She questioned, stepping towards Lucy protectively before the blonde waved her off. 

“What can I say?” She grinned at Three playfully. “I’m a rebel.” Lucy shrugged, her attention turning to the theater on the far side of the battle hall. A large figure stood with a multitude of guards surrounding him; her Assignist. 

“Did you manage to contract Gemini?” Lucy was brought back to Three, sighing progressively. 

“As a matter of fact.” She could feel her magic jittering, excited to be used. She took a deep breath releasing herself. It prickled, her skin crawling in a euphoric sort of way. “I’m sure they’d love to meet you?” She offered, arms stretching on either side of her. 

Yukino nodded her head appreciatively, taking a few stride back to give the summoner the room she needed. 

Lucy felt herself let go, like losing grip on a balloon that starts to float just out of grasp. She steadied, the air around her vibrating with her energy, the particles turning gold. A moments passed, the air stopped moving and felt like poison in the girl's lungs, before Lucy brought her hands together in a thunderous clap. 

Light imploded from Lucy’s palms as she pulled them apart in a graceful dance, bowing with four fingers pointed on one hand and five on the other. A circle of dark blue mixed with purple erupted between her fingertips, stars could be seen from every angle light flowing out of the sphere of space. In a flick of her wrist, a vibrant Gemini lay floating in front of her. 

The atmosphere returned to normal within an instant. Lucy reverting back to her stance as she exited her curtsy. The girl opposite her stood with an awed smile, clapping slowly. 

“Gemini, this is Thr-” Lucy stopped as her sensed pricked with excitement. She snapped her head to the right, where the theater was aimed to be met by the acceleration of a boulder headed for the trio. 

Three turned and rolled from the direction that the large rock was headed. Lucy’s mind acted without thought, she held two fingers out on either hand, and pulled her wrists apart. The magic effect that had occurred early happened a second time, but with a more swift entry. 

A virgin with orchid purple hair walked peacefully out of the vortex. Chains were adorning both her wrists, and she wore the uniform of a house maid. The Spirit drove her foot into the ground, her stance solid. 

The boulder approached as the girl brought her hands to a line. One atop to other, her palms laid in wait for stone. On impact the rock exploded, shattering around Lucy and her Spirit. Dust rose and swirled around the air as split stone rained around the arena. The blonde cast an angered glance to the side where the boulder had been thrown. 

“Good morning, Princess.” The Spirit greeted with a bow. 

“Hey Virgo,”  Lucy replied, looking for Gemini. Three stood poised, her Spirit Libra suspending chunks of sizable rocks above her summoner. The Twin Castors bobbed up and down under the fortress created by the Heavenly Scales. The blonde could tell that under her mask, Libra was frowning while looking at Gemini. 

“Excellent work girls,” A masculine voice cooed, followed by a barrage of fire. Lucy instructed Virgo to dig into the arena floor. She followed after her, and watched from above as fire passed over the hole. She closed Gemini’s gate instantaneously, before licking her index fingers, and pulling open yet another gate. 

In a matter of second the fire was extinguished, leaving Lucy to climb from the hole followed by Virgo. The blonde summoner was met by a hand to her face. 

“What the hell did I tell you about summoning me with your _spit?_ ” The Water Bearer hissed, she held herself with sass, silver urn positioned on her hip. The mermaids blue tail swept at Lucy before she closed her gate with a regretful apology. 

“Will that be all Princess? Or will you need to punish me?” Virgo quipped, bowing before her summoner. 

“No, that’s all. Thank you Virgo.” The maid disappeared with nothing more to say, assimilating into sparks of magic before returning to the Spirit World. 

Lucy cocked her head to the side, looking for her training partner and opponent. Three balanced on one leg, hands at her knees for support. Her left leg burned from the fire. “You good, Three?” Lucy called, gaining her attention. The girl nodded painfully with a gulp in her throat. 

“I am fine, Four. Please be the same?” She brought her shoulders back to stand on her own. Eyes looking Lucy over again. 

“Yup, no worries.” The blonde winked back. 

Training continued for hours, the summoners earning new scars and depleting their energies to zero. Lucy and Three works together and apart, fighting what the day had brought and the Assignists had wanted to experiments with, and each other. A variety of summoning and pure power usage drained the girls. They were left on the arena floor with little to expense. 

Lucy breathed hard on her hands and knees, breeding from new cut and bruises decorating her skin. She coughed out a trail of saliva that was laced a bright crimson. 

“I think I could do for a nap.” She joked, air catching laboriously. She settled on her knees, intaking breaths with trouble as her shoulders slumped backwards while she looked to the ceiling in exhaustion. 

“I second that, Four.” The silver locked girl laughed, she laid on her back defeatedly. There was little fight in the two of them, they both won and lost between each other. 

The voice called dangerously, soothing over them like an unwelcomed winter. “Girls, you are finished.” The two snapped to their feet, injuries fighting against their numb minds. They brought their hands together, a fist connecting with an open palm before bowing. 

“Yes sir.” The unison in their response was monotone, climbing up their throats from habit not respect. The girls turned from each other, not bothering to peek at the other or their Assignist. They walked to the each of the barrier and stuck their arms threw, cuffs clasping onto their wrists before a second pair was added. 

Lucy walked to the left exit, bag placed over her head for security. She dragged her feet back to her cell. After being thrown inside she found the booklet she had left on her bed scattered around the room, the pages she had written on ripped and dispersed. With a discontented sigh she picked up the mess before collapsing in bed. 

 

~~~

 

“A few more months, and then we shall send them off.” The White Knight hummed down to his accomplice. They were walking through the palace grounds, discussing what was to become in the future. 

“Do you believe that they are ready for that?” The old man countered, his hunched form looking up at the man. 

“I believe that Four is ready. Three needs more confidence in herself, while Two… I do trust that I said a few additional months?” Arcadios offered, rounding a hedge in the garden. “Two is strong, and has little resilience. She does not understand the cost of the magic that we have given her.” He explained, gesturing to emphasize his point. 

“I see, I suppose that after the Grand Magic Games this year we will establish these young ladies to where they will be?” Darton more stated than he asked, his plan brewing out loud. 

Arcadios nodded slowly. “I suppose so.” He finished. The two men slipping to different directions in the night. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter came much faster than I though it would, thank you everyone for the support in chapter one. I am very excited to write this. Criticism and comments are always appreciated. Thank you so so much~!  
> Reagan


	3. Change Is Never Easy

Days and nights went by like ocean waves, one after another. The three girls were forced to continue their training until the months preceding the Grand Magic games, though they had little knowledge of that significance. Lucy and Three’s normally training schedule began changing, an absence of Two becoming more and more frequent until she disappeared all together. 

Long hours were spent in the training room, screams of pain and anger sounded through the halls repetitively. 

“Where is my sister?” The question rang on deaf ears. All deaf but Lucy. 

Two and Three were taken at the same time, the blonde had been aware. Two had been the holder of multiple Spirits before she was forced to end her contracts and begin a more difficult and dangerous kind of summoning. Three had a single Spirit by the time Lucy had been harvested, Pisces. 

Summoning hadn’t begun the second that Lucy was implemented into the Celestian Experiment, a year of training had pushed the eight year old girl to her limit everyday to expand her magic reservoir. The blonde was under the impression that she was alone in the experiment until a handful of days after her first contract. Aquarius was not the keenest of the child, but agreed out of respect and worry for her wellbeing. 

She had taken to the Celestian Experiment over any of the other candidates. Quickly gaining speed on Three’s ability, and retrieving the Spirits that had been sacrificed by Two. In a matter of years, Lucy had contracted half the Zodiac Spirits while Three had two. 

Two had not been as scheduled an opponent as Three, but she would miss training sessions, and Lucy would be forced to train by herself against the barrage that was always prepared for the girls. All at once, Lucy was training with Three everyday, Two having been replaced by her sister. 

And then Three was gone. There was no transition. Just a permanent dismissal that left the blonde to her own devices. 

“Where are they?!” Her screams ignored outside the field of energy. 

Explosives launched at her, small metal projectiles that she knew from her past experiences packed more punch than something she was willing to let enter her realm of peace. In a lightning movement, Sagittarius appeared from the smoke. “Milady.” He greeted with knowledge of his duty already. 

“What did you do with them!” Her shrieks rippled the air, magic power dripping from her dangerously as she spun protectively of herself. Gold leaked into the air, seeping from the blonde. “Tell me, cowards!” She defended what was thrown at her, tears of anger painting her cheeks. 

She fought restlessly against the guards when exiting the arena, punching and screaming for answers. She was tazarded with electricity, her muscles working against her as they stopped their movements and ceased in her body. The wardens dragged her motionless form from the battle hall, leavings the audience to conspire between themselves. 

“She’s rather feisty, I’ll give her that.” The short man commented, his attention lying on the blonde that was being quickly swept away by guards. 

“That would be an understatement.” The tall knight said, watching down his large nose at the scene, amusement glittering in his eyes. “Will you take her?” The question was a deal breaker for the young woman. The old chef scratched at his chin in thought. 

He owned a large establishment, that would be useful for gaining information around the kingdom, which was the female’s purpose. 

“I don’t think I could handle someone uncontrollable like that in my restaurant.” He said, the taller man sighing in defeat. Four’s performance had done little to sell herself. “Though,” The chef’s continuation caught the knight off guard. “I may know of a place where she would fit in just perfect. While also achieving your needed standards, Darton.” He elaborated, a smirk on his thin mouth. 

“Go on,” The man in question had not taken his gaze from where Four had disappeared, eyes scrutinizing the location with aggravation. 

With a curt laugh, the man’s mouth upturned further. “I believe that you are aware of the place I have in mind.” He said, shaking his head with another smile. “I do say, she’d be right at home.” 

 

~~~

 

“Well isn’t it your lucky day, Star Scum.” 

The barrier to the entrance wall of Lucy’s cell evaporated with a crackling. The wizard kicked her legs off her bed, standing swiftly and ready to fight. Her knuckles clenched beneath her restraints, she felt her magic turn over in her stomach, like a balloon filling with air and reaching it’s limit before it popped. 

“It ain’t gonna be yours, buddy.” She threatened, adjusting herself as she prepared a kick. There were multiple guards, all entering her cell, seeming unfazed by her aggression. 

Lucy lost her respect of being a prisoner. She knew that even surrounded by knights that were always there that she was alone. Two and Three’s disappearances left her without anything to fight for, only against. She found herself home sick, in the two girls that she had bonded with over the experiment. 

There was no comfort. Before the other summoners left, Lucy looked forward to training daily, there was a relief in having beings that were sharing in the same experiences she was. It was what kept her sane. 

But she knew with the amount of agony and torture that she had been subjected to, without the safety blanket of the other girls, Lucy was as good as dead. 

“Shape up, Four. Don’t make this worse for yourself.” A female guard said, walking towards her with Lucy’s second pair of magic nulling bonds in her hands. 

“I couldn’t imagine how things could get worse.” The blonde whispered in retaliation, finding her stance, and shooting a kick from her hip. 

The knight swerved from the way, malice growing in the room as Lucy’s rebellion thickened the air with tension. 

“You really gonna do this, Four?” The third guard that had yet to speak finally voiced, the other two looked at her with anger clouding their gazes. 

Lucy snorted, beckoning them forward with a roll of her fingers. “What do I have left to lose?” 

The guards advanced without mercy, and Lucy returned the favor. Her bound hands acting more as weapons than preventions. She brought her arms down hard on target and dealt blows that were not easily shaken. Her legs delivering kicks and checks with haste as she fought the three. 

The onslaught ended shortly after the blonde incapacitated one of the guards, she was meet with a a joint of energy that left her magic stewing and head throbbing. 

But the knights didn’t stop until Lucy had gotten what they believed she deserved. She was left with bruises and scratches, blood dripped from her nose, and saliva tinted a dark red. 

The guards took their fellow’s body, and dragged him from the cell. “And you were gettin’ out of here today too.” One of them mumbled as they secured the laser barrier. 

Lucy’s ears perked from where she laid on her floor, between her bed and toilet. “Wait, what do you mean?” She questioned sitting up. 

No response came, and she asked again with more urgency. The guards simply pulled their friend away, to opposite direction they normally went. 

The blonde crashed against the barrier, tears prevalent in her eyes. “What do you mean!” She screamed, skin searing against the energy force. She shoved her form onto it frantically, something she had learned not to do for safety of herself long ago. 

“Please!” She bellowed, gripping the bars. “What do you mean!” The shrill of her voice was left unanswered as Lucy wound at the barrier. Her punches earned her burns, something that fire had never come close to dealing. 

 

~~~

 

“She’s too dangerous, sir. She took out Gody with ease, what are we supposed to do with her?” The question filled with room. 

The White Knight stared down his long nose at the three, one of them bandaged while all looking nervous and bewildered. “She did this to you with her magic restrained?” He asked nonchalantly, though there were hints of curiosity in his tone. 

“Yes… she did, sir.” The one in wraps responded, fingers finding his pounding temple. 

“Well that is rather impressive. We trained her in self defense so she was more of an asset to us. I never would have calculated that it would lead to her derailing a guard. Rather impressive indeed.” He commented, the only sign of agitation in his face was a quirked brow. 

Lucy was well versed in the art of pressure, she knew how to block the flow of magic to parts of the body. Physical attacks were rather useless if one couldn’t cast. She knew where the most sensitive parts on the body were, and with the right amount of stress she could end a person’s consciousness in a matter of moments. 

She was terrifying in hand to hand combat. Those that got close to her soon came to realize their mistake as feeling in their limbs were lost immediately. 

“Sir, we were assigned to bring her here. Has that order been revoked?” Another guard asked, his voiced sharing little about his apprehension of returning to the summoners cell. 

“Mmmm,” The ordering knight hummed, he shifted his stance firmly. “I believe I will send more capable guards in your place. You three are dismissed.” He shooed, turning to leave the room. 

There had been a distinct change in the blonde over the months prior. Her magic energy seemed to have multiplied, and so had her rebellious attitude. With the departure of the other summoners Lucy had gained a more independant fighting style. Though Arcadios found it hard to explain, she seemed more self reliant, even while summoning her Spirits. 

Not to say that she stopped relying on her Spirits, but she was more calculated and ready to handle a situation on her own. 

Hours later, Lucy stood in front of her Assignists. The White Knight, and the man in a gold rimmed cap stared at her with different intentions. 

“You helped us reach a height in our research we hadn’t even thought possible, miss Heartfilia.” Their lecture did little to amuse the blonde. She kept her head low, focusing on the stark difference between her white boot and the black stone. 

Arcadios stood at the side of the Minister of Defense, the duo looked down at the girl from their pedestal, Chef Yajima watching the female closely. She was bound at the hands, feet and neck. With the silence she emitted he was nearly certain that their was a gag in her mouth as well. 

“The magic knowledge that you granted us was something that we had never expect to gain, for that, we are grateful.” Darton said carefully. Lucy’s eyes looked through her bangs. Her hair was nearly always pinned back in some form, but golden strand hung down her forehead, serving as a shield in the scenario. 

“I cannot say that what we have put you through over these eleven years has been pleasant, for either party, but we have yet another task for you. This one, I believe, will be relieving to you.” The Minister continued, spiking the interest of the girl. 

With a raised grow Lucy brought her gaze to the men. Her glare was intense, but not in an intimidating way, one that screamed predacious. “I do not consider your opinion as mine, I will take your offer, none the less, but know that it is not to better you or your inaugurations.” Her voice was stern, something that the three hadn’t been expecting. Let alone her immediate compliance. 

“We will have you steadily report to us finding and mishappenings in a particular town in Fiore. All events will be taken back to us, we want to know when the wrong people breath.” Arcadios said, finding his voice in response to the girl before Darton could. 

Lucy seemed to acknowledge the opportunity before turning her nose up. Her poised features were batter from the beating earlier in the day. “And why am I to do this?” She questioned. 

“Security reasons. We wish to keep a tighter lock on the phenomenons around our country. You are a perfect way of achieving that.” Darton explained shortly, going into no further detail. 

“And where am I supposed to be stationed?” She asked, her head was cocked to the side in sass, with her weight adjusted to one hip. 

“You, my darling,” The short man that Lucy had noticed earlier finally spoke. The kindness that seemed to radiate off him reminded her on Threes gentleness, but she concurred that behind his eyes held a storm same as her friend. “Are going to Fairy Tail.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was hard to write, I really didn't know where I wanted to go with it, or how much plot I wanted to build. I rewrote it several times, and I'm thankful that I spent the time I did on it. Thank you, everything that has read or left kudos, I appreciate it so much. I'm really knew to writing fantasy, and to see an almost immediate return for my writing is rather... incredible actually. But again, thank you everyone, and lemme know what you thought of Chapter Three!   
> Reagan


	4. New Beginning

“Well hun, I know I’m not supposed to talk to you,” Yajima started, he sat across from the beautiful blonde on the train. It was midnight, they had been tasked to leave just after the sun set to get as much travel in as possible before morning when they had to stop. 

Lucy hadn’t seen the outside world in eleven years. The chef read her, with every new encounter she fidgeted not nervously, but out of an anticipation or anxiety. Darton and Arcadios had rented them an entire train car to themselves. To repress as much human contact as possible. The wizard had spent the majority of her time looking out the window at the stars. 

When she was younger, in her cell, she had sketched every constellation she could remember from her night’s sky at the manor. On the floor of the cell everyday, Lucy would perfectly print the coordinates and map of her stars on the floor. Though cleaned while she trained, she was relentless. 

The blonde looked to the short man, both sitting on either sides of a booth, looking out the window. “That is correct.” She responded lamely. He sat opposite her with his hands in his lap, fingers intertwined. 

He laughed, Lucy watched him closely as she kept her attention on him contrary to the sky. It was darker than she was expected, and the train went at a speed that the blonde didn’t think possible. Before she was taken into the experiment she had lived with her mother and father. 

Her mother was a successful Spirit mage, and that why they had harvested Lucy as soon as she’d passed. It gave the girl a higher possibility of having the ability to summon as well, and broke off the contracts that were held between her mother and the spirits. 

“But I’ve gotta ask some questions.” He reasoned, returning his gaze to the outside again. 

Lucy took a deep breath, following his lead. “I expect nothing less.” She mustered, offering him the opportunity that he wanted. 

“Can you tell me exactly what the Celestian Experiment is?” The question stopped Lucy abruptly, she choked a moment, hair falling in her face. 

With a silent moment she gathered what she could. “The Celestian Experiment, so that’s what they call it.” It fit, she had to admit, not for Two, but for herself and Three. “Well, from what I know, through reading and studying, the keys to the Zodiac were lost. Broken some theorizes, or trashed. No one really knows what happened to them.” She began, she had been instructed on this hundred of times through her first few years. She remembered that her mother had keys, to the Zodiacs even, but was repetitively told they were abandoned and gone. 

“For centuries, a huge gate was housed on the grounds of Mercurius, no one really knew what it was. Well, no one that I knew of, I’m positive of someone’s knowledge of its intent. But,” She drifted her gaze back to Yajima, the man seemed intrigued, though his eyes looked glued, there was an interest deep in his wrinkles 

“It was deciphered a little over a decade ago that the gate had a significant pull on the Celestial Realm. Funny how people began assuming that Spirits no longer existed merely because they lost touch with our world.” She laughed, she could feel the same itching on her restraints that she had when a Spirit tried to come in contact with her. 

“So what was its purpose? And your’s?” The man asked, his kind expression holding one of slight confusion.

“You’d be surprised the intentions of those worried for war.” She replied simple. “We-” She stopped, sighing at the images of Two and Three. Consoling herself silently she continued, “Served as masters of the sky. Learning to summon and contract through intense expulsion of our magic. We trained for years.” Her eyes were glazed in memory. 

“Who is we?” Lucy took another deep breath, a longing expression hinting her features for just a moment. 

“There were two other girls in the experiment, Two and Three.” She forced out, no real reason to restrain herself. “Three summoned like me, Celestial Spirits. We trained together more frequently than Two and I. Two summoned using a different tactic than us… A more dangerous form of summoning.” Lucy recalled the first time she had witness Two’s summoning, blood had transferred into coins which she used as penance to call her Divinities. 

“We were all close. The only people that knew what we were being put through were each other. We latched onto that.” She whispered, her breathing was foggy, and chest hurt in heartache. 

“It seems as though you miss them.” Yajima said, he stared at the girl in compassion, recalling when he had first witnessed her fight. It was disclosed to him that her aggressive inquiries were pertaining to her comrades which we was allowed to know little about. 

“Yes.” She agreed, nodding her head. “They were the only friends I have ever had. They were like sisters to me.” Her feet were restless as she looked at them, attempting to busy herself. 

“The reason for the three of us still alludes me. But I have my theories.” Lucy spoke nearly to herself instead of directing the chef. Her brows were furrowed in thought as she sorted through the caverns of information she’d retained over the years. “I suppose that spies for the castles is the most romantic explanation I have.” She sighed, reverting to the star filled sky again. 

“Nearly seems like something from a novel.” The man added quietly, the deepening bags under his eyes proved his exhaustion. Lucy’s schedule was not interrupted, she realized that perhaps she had always been awake at night, slept the day away. She lived underground for eleven years, there was no way for her to tell the time other than what the guards told her. 

“I concur.” There was a pleasant silence that stretched, the night sky seemed to twist and turn every new moments as Lucy watched it. 

“May I ask you a question now?” Her inquiry brought Yajima back from semi consciousness. He adjusted himself to a more upright position compared to the one that he had dozed off to. 

“Yes, darling. Ask away.” He yawned. 

Lucy bit her lip is apprehension, she looked at the doors of the train car. “What’s it like?” She requested nervously. The answer scared her, Lucy was not one for fear but the unknown was a touchy topic. 

For over half her life everything had been scheduled, new things rarely happened and they were normally under her control or her knowing. But where she was going, she knew nothing about. 

Yajima replaced his tired expression with a wry smile, crossing his thin arms over his chest with a shake to his head and a light laugh. “Nothing like you’re used to.” His response did little to satisfy Lucy’s curiosity. 

She arched a brow and bit her lip pensively. “I can’t tell if that is a good thing, or not?” She questioned further, hoping to spark more from the older man. 

“I can tell you don’t like surprises, my dear.” She tensed at his words, looking sideways out the window. “My dear friend is the master of Fairy Tail,” He said, beginning to notice her anxiety. 

“Are they…” She stopped herself, imagining her pitiful questions. “Are they mean?” Lucy’s hesitance gave way to the reluctance she had to the new experiment element. 

A pit was boiling in her stomach, threads coming loose from her sanity as she grew nearer to her destination. Lucy held confusion to the entire experimentation of infiltrating the guilds, she didn’t understand why her Assignists thought that she wouldn’t just run the second she hit ground. 

A deep chuckle roared from the man, his shoulders bobbing up and down. “Some of them,” The answers pooled doubt in the blonde’s stomach, she could feel herself grow nauseous. “I can tell that Fairy Tail is where you belong, Lucy.” And her stomach dropped. 

Her eyes shot to Yajima, a questioning glare adorning them. He looked back in confusion before realization dawned his features. “I’m sorry, you aren’t quite used to people calling you by name yet.” He stated with a shamed nod. 

A knot grew in Lucy’s throat, she made a little attempt to rid of it. “I guess,” She swallowed then, her voice catching from demur. “It’s not something that I can avoid. People aren’t going to call me Four.” She relented, looking at her bound wrists in distaste, a souring scoured her tongue as she blew out a hostile breath. 

“Whatever you are most comfortable with, miss.” He resolved, resting his chin on his chest in a sign of exhaustion. 

“Yeah,” Lucy whispered back, eyes lingering on the smaller man a second longer before returning to the window. The restlessness stewed in her belly, her mind formulating a plan as the train continued. 

 

~~~

 

They were ignored as they walked through the streets of Magnolia. The morning sun was hours away from rising, sparse street lights illuminating the path that the pair had taken. 

Lucy walked slightly behind the older man leading the way, watching the houses and restaurants as they passed, wary steps pushing her forward. Something bothered her about the place, she couldn’t quite place it. 

She’d been locked in an underground lab for over half of her life, all her senses were accustomed to a very small variety of elements. She was being exposed to thousands of new sights, smells, and sounds. All at once bombarding her in a fit. She stood cautious, ready above all else. 

“You seem tense?” The chef questioned as they walked, he looked over his shoulder at Lucy, the blonde meeting his gaze with little attention aimed at him. 

The girl ignored the offer, instead looking at the water alongside the right of them, it was a canal that had been running along the street for as long as they walked. “Where are we going now?” She asked, scanning for any sort of future obstacle. 

“We’re approaching the guild, but I was told to take you to where you are staying. It’s been provided for you by the Capital, rather graciously I’ve been told.” He chuckled. 

A grimace covered her face, she looked down at her restraints once again, gritting her teeth. A dark cloak clothed her shoulders, and fell around her, obscuring her figure and bonds from sight. The hood covered her head and face, keeping her identity from the few people that walked by in the midst of the night. 

Yajima stopped in front of an orange apartment building, the main floor half built with brick and adorned with four windows. The entrance was covered by an oning of the same color to the building, the second floor had a balcony across the front, with three additional windows, and what looks like an attic on the top. 

The short man looked at a piece of paper than he drew from his pocket, and exchanged a glance between the building and parchment until he smiled at Lucy. “I believe this is it.” 

The mage looked up with an intent sigh, and nodded. Yajima took this as an invitation to introduce her to her place of dwelling. He walked to the doors, and lead her to the second floor, before retrieving a key from the same pocket and unlocking the door. 

They walked inside the short man turning on the switch that activated lacrima around the room, Lucy marveling at the space. “Now, I’ve been told your first few months of rent have been paid, but it is you responsibility to keep up the payments.” He explained as Lucy walked further into the apartment. 

It was well furnished, a bed under the window, with a desk, rug, table, and couch in the center of the room. Bookshelves covered the walls, and led into a decent kitchen and dining area, and further into a room that the blonde guessed was a bathroom. 

“I see.” She breathed, looking around, perplexed. 

“Not used to it yet, huh?” Yajima asked, walking towards the table in the main space. “I can only imagine how you were treated in,” There was a moment of pause. “The experiment.” He seemed to not know how else to word it. 

Lucy took hesitant steps around the rooms, peeking her head around corners, and taking interest in the furniture and books that held on the shelves along the walls. “Well, it sure wasn’t pleasant, I’ll tell you that.” She responded mindlessly. 

After a few moments, Yajima placed the key back in his jacket and moved towards the bonde. “I’m sorry to do this, miss Lucy, but I must leave you here for a short while.” 

Lucy snapped to face him, eyebrows furrowed in concern. “Why is that?” She asked roughly, her shoulders were high. She knew that she wasn’t afraid of the world that she was now forced to assimilate to, but she didn’t loathe the company of someone that knew what would happen it in. After a dawning moment she relaxed as her plotting from earlier entered her mind. 

“I have to go speak with Makarov.” He said as he took steps towards the mage. “He’s aware that I am bringing someone to the guild, but not when. He isn’t a man of surprises.” Yajima laughed as he shook his head. 

“Oh, I guess meeting someone outside the guild is safer than initially entering and causing potential chaos.” Lucy reasoned, her voice merely hinting with blandness at her disinterest for Fairy Tail’s master. 

Yajima narrowed his already squinted eyes at the young lady. “Yes, I’d say that’s very sound.” 

Lucy took a seat at the table in the center of the space, resting her cuffed hands on the surface. “I’ll be waiting.” She said nonchalantly. 

Yajima gave her a few encouraging words before shutting the door behind him and venturing deeper into the night. Lucy now knew that she was a night owl, being subjected to a standard most don’t live to interested the blonde. She figured that her Assignists, the White Knight and the Minister of Defense, dealt with their disappearances in the night far easier than hours during the day having missed. 

She waited at her table for a handful of moments before impatience grew on her. Lucy stood, walking to the bed and propping herself on a single knee to look over the ledge out the window. 

The night was dark, but the canal across from the apartment lit the straightways with light from the sky. It still took Lucy’s breath away how much she hadn’t realized that she’d missed the act of stargazing. She took a content sigh before hardening her gaze to a frown, looking down at her hands. 

She pulled her arms apart, testing the level of restraint that the chains between the cuffs fought against. Her lips turned further downward when the restraints proved more difficult to break than initially expected. The blonde had hypothesized that the castle wouldn’t send her with expressive and extensive bonds, though she came to realize her mistake. 

“Really, whole plan concocted and everything and I can’t even execute the first step.” Her scowl drained her expression, eyes scouring for something useful in the room. 

Lucy’s face lit up as excitement poured from her. She stood, quickly running over to the lacrima on the wall. She’d once read that lacrima can possess the ability to change the qualities of certain magic objects or powers. She could tell that it was a communications lacrima, it glowed blue against the faint color of the wall. 

She crossed her fingers as she brought a cuff engraved with runes to the crystal, the etched symbol in the crystal’s direct path of interference. Moments passed and the blonde detected no difference in the material, she brought both of her wrists together, hoping that it may disable them both simultaneously. 

In a second, Lucy’s body was flooded with magic power. The restraints nulled from the direct contact with the lacrima, full spell losing affect from her tampering. Her veins were filled with bubbles as she rejoiced, the first feeling of freedom hitting her in years. She thought for a way to free herself of the cuffs for good, humming in thought. 

With a gasp, Lucy extended two fingers on her right hand and a single on her left. She drained power from her body, rotating her wrists together before a ploom of smoke produced a large man, hair pinned on either side of his head. He wore a blue pinstripe shirt, hands grasping a long pair of sharp scissors. 

“Lucy,” He greeted breathily with a bow. 

The blonde smiled at him kindly, replying with a small courtesy. “Cancer.” She laughed, as he straightened, her mood having risen. 

“You summoned?” He questioned, a short signature on the end of his sentence. 

The woman nodded to her bond, bringing them just short of the lacrimas range. “You mind getting me out of these?”

“Sure thing.” In razorsharp movements, the sound of metal reaching the floor rang through the room. The restraints fell from Lucy’s wrists easily. 

“Thank you,” She rubbed the areas that had been chained, finding gnarly bruising. 

“Anytime, Lucy.” He disappeared with a release on his summon, the girl waving as he dissipated. 

She looked down at the crumpled mess on the floor, the metal gleaming and shining lamely in pieces. “Good riddance to you.” She said kicking them as she turned. She set towards the door before the images of Yajima locking it behind his after his departure entered her brain. She fixed her attention instead to the window she had been peering out of merely minutes before, a smirk lighting her features. 

“I have a feeling this is gonna be fun.” She joked as she hopped on her bed, opening the window with ease and launching out into the night. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I guess this one is really going for it isn't it? I'm having a lot of fun writing this, I didn't realize how much I actually like Lucy's character until I began writing fanfiction. Anyways, thank you to everyone who has shown support. Hopefully I'll be able to write more soon. Comments and Kudos are much appreciated, thanks everyone. <3  
> Reagan


	5. Dark Places

“She is my niece,” Yajima explained, he walked beside a man of the same stature, an ivory haired woman following close behind. 

The other man kept his gaze on where he was walking, his hands held behind his back. “I wasn’t aware that you had family?” He questioned, voice holding a sense of age but pride. 

The chef’s smile widened, squinted eyes wrinkling further. “You’d be surprised.” They three of them had just left the grounds of Fairy Tail’s territory. Yajima had asked for the assistance of another guild member to get Lucy into the spirit of the guild, knowing that she was uncomfortable with the idea, he thanked the heavens that Mirajane was one of the few people left at the guild. Along with a handful of the more rambunctious member, notorious for being excitable. 

“She needs a home, and not one that I myself can provide, unfortunately.” Yajima spoke solemnly, he knew that he was lying to one of his oldest friends, but he left little remorse. It was for the good of the girl, and his business that he manage to get her accepted into the guild. “I’ve only spent the last few days with her, I didn’t even know I had a niece.” 

“That’s interesting, where did she come from?” The former model asks from behind the two, bending over slightly to allow herself into the conversation between the two smaller men. 

With a shrug the chef continued to play. “I’m not all certain. She is not a blood relative from what I can gather, a daughter of someone close to me, from my past I assume.” They passed houses and streets, light from the sky above illuminating their path adjacent to the canal to their left. 

“Why Fairy Tail?” Makarov asked, the fur of his white coast framing his distinctly pink face. The night was biting as they went, jackets hugging the three in an attempt to maintain warmth. 

The chef chuckled lightly, breaths of white leaving his thin lips. “I was once a member of Fairy Tail myself, I know that she will belong no matter what.” His statement brought a smile to the group’s mouths. 

They walked in silence for a few moments before Yajima stopped them, turning his attention to the burnt orange apartment that he had left Lucy in. A flash of her restraints filled his head, he bit the side of his cheek searching for an answer to that obvious question. He sighed through his nose, guiding them up the stairs to the blonde’s apartment. 

“Lucy, I’m back.” He announced opening the door. The room held a chill, no warmer than it had been outside, nothing sat in disarray, the space was as he had left it. But there was a lacking, crucial detail. Lucy was not where he had left her. 

“Lucy, this is my friend, Makarov. I’ve told you about him.” Yajima called in mild irritation, making his way further into the room. The window above the bed held open, cold air whipping in, disrupting the curtains gracing the framework. “She seems to have,” He sighed in frustration, taking another glance at the window before turning back to the others. “Decided to take a stroll…” 

Mirajane walked around the table, leaning into the archway of the kitchen to confirm Lucy’s lack of whereabouts. “Why would she have left? I suppose another question is why she would have used the window?” She asked, arcing a delicate brow in confusion. 

The chef laughed in a way the was void of any humor. “I suppose I may have forgotten to mention a select few details.” He joked, scratching his head in hesitance. 

“Ah yes, I’d say you have some explaining to do.” The attention was drawn to Makarov, who stood across the room, under the communication lacrima. He bent over, slowly returning to a tentative stance before bringing his hand into view. He gripped onto large pieces of magical bonds, the piece desecrated in chucks. 

“Hm,” Yajima yawned, concern seeping through his humming. “Yes, I guess I have forgotten more than I am allowed.” He said fidgeting and swaying to either side. 

With a deep breath, Makarov silenced his friend with an unlifted hand. “I understand that there is likely a long story that you need time to fabricate, so we’ll spare you until we find,” He thought to himself for a moment, looking about the room. “Lucy.” His finish was rough, Yajima could tell that he wasn’t the most pleased about the situation or the possibility of a fugitive entering his guild. Though the old chef already had an excuse on his lips. 

“Is this a communications Lacrima?” The beautiful white haired woman asked, pacing towards her master. Yajima nodded his head slowly, taking a seat at the table in the room. “You wouldn’t mind if I used it would you?” Her question left sweetly, but he could tell that her tone held a taste of displeasure just as Makarov’s did. 

“Feel free, my dear.” He motioned with a wry smile on his face. 

Mirajane took the position in front of the Lacrima, it swirled to life before her. The colors chased each other in a sickening dance of purples and greens and blues, until an image appeared in the sphere. In seconds a face obscured the image that had previously animated in. 

“Mira, is that you?” A light voice came through. The face belonged to that of a young female, her hair was cropped above her shoulders and as stark white as the woman wizard. 

“Of course silly, you’re just who I hoped to speak with.” She said deterring the younger’s question with the obvious. “Lisanna, who is currently still at the guild?”

The female turned and peered around the surrounds that were obscured in the Transmission Sphere. She seemed to count for a moment, squinting her eyes in an effort to see. “Macao and Wakaba are still at the bar, I don’t think they’re having a very good night.” She giggled, not returning her gaze to the people on the other side of the Lacrima.  

“Biska and Alzack left a few hours ago for a job, Romeo’s asleep in the back. I think Laki was reading him bedtime stories, last I remember. Things are slowing down about now.” She said turning back to the picture. 

“I see,” Mirajane said biting her lip in thought, the older men’s attention on her. “So Warren has already left? And Natsu?” She asked somewhat hopefully. 

Lisanna’s eyes lit up, she pulled herself away from the Lacrima, yelling something indistinguishable from the otherside. “I assume you’d like to speak with one of them?” She offered as the telepathic mage came into view alongside her. 

“Hey Mira, what’s up?” Warren inquired, his lips forming a welcoming smile, dark eyes following suit. 

“Warren, perfect, I was wondering if you could help me find someone?” 

Makarov’s eyes shallowed in acknowledgement of the plan that the young woman had. He took a seat across from his old friend, both tired from the hour and the obvious long night that awaited the two. 

“Well, that can depend on a lot of factors.” The black haired mage responded, curiosity in his tone. “Do I know the person that you want me to find?” He asked. Mira knew that it wasn’t going to be easy and that she likey had another solution. 

“There is a very slim chance.” She reasoned. Lisanna stood confused next to Warren, though she didn’t speak. Seconds later her eyes flew to the side, and beckoned over someone outside the Lacrimal image. 

Warren’s response was cut off by the interjection of another male mage, his rose hair stuck in directions that defied gravity, onyx eyes always looking for a humbling fight. “Yo,” He introduced bantantly, looking intensely into the Lacrima. “Mira, is that you?” 

The white blonde giggled. “Yes Natsu, I have a job for you.” She informed cheerfully. 

“Will yah feed me afterward?” The female mage knew that as penance she would be feeding the man, it wasn’t a new realization to her. 

“Of course,” Her agreement earned a long sigh from behind her, presumably coming from their master sitting at the table. 

Natsu shrugged, a grin slathering his features. “Count me in.” 

“You don’t even know what the job is, silly!” Lisanna protested, laughing at her friend. 

“I don’t have to know to know that I can do it.” He shot back, linking his fingers behind his head as he walked away. 

It took the two a moment, but Warren called sperastically after the rose haired mage. “You don’t even know where you’re going or what you’re doing.” The telepathy magic user ran to catch him, shooting Lisanna a wave behind him as he watched the Lacrima orb deactivate.

“I heard what Mira said to you earlier; find someone. Easy.” Natsu checked, taking a deep whiff of the air, smelling for his master and the female wizard. 

Warren shuffled next to him, eyes peering at everything in the night. He figured that it was lucky he’d stayed late in the guild that night, nodding in excitement for the task ahead. “I wonder how I play into this.” 

They followed Natsu’s sense of smell through the town, down a few streets and not too far a walk from the guild itself. They stopped at a quaint building, the rose haired male taking one more sniff before nodding his head and jumping onto the side of the building. 

“What are you doing?!” Warren’s exclamation nearly cause the previously mentioned to lose his grip. 

“I’m getting in, obviously.” Natsu shrugged it off, as though it were the most natural thing in the world. 

“Not by climbing a wall!” He corrected as Natsu brought himself to the second floor with ease, he pressed his face to the window before suctioning the glass with his fingers and prying it open. Without another word or protest from the telepathy mage, Natsu was inside. 

As Natsu gracefully hopped from the bed to the ground, he was met by three pairs of eyes, one particularly shocked while the other two all too knowing. “Good evening, Natsu.” Mirajane greeted kindly. 

“What’s up,” His question was phrased in such a nonchalant way it was as though he hadn’t jumped through the window. 

A polite knock came on the door, Mira moving immediately to open it. She looked through the peephole before swinging open the entrance, a frustrated Warren walking in after. “Hello Warren, I see you took the more… appropriate entrance.” She said coyly, fingers covering her smiling mouth. 

“I’m far from surprised.” Master Makarov yawned, standing from his seat where he sat taller than his regular stature. 

“I should have remember the quirkiness of your family, old friend.” Yajima said joining the short wizard on his own feet. 

Mirajane exchanged a look between the four men before settling on the newly arrived pair. “I have a task for your nose and your mind,” The two nodded, Natsu crossed his arms over his chest, quirking a brow in acknowledgement and interest. 

“My nose is always up for a challenge.” Natsu shrugged, Mirajane could tell that the fire mage was in a particular mood that evening. 

Warren winked at the silvered woman, “I’ll help any way I can.” He assure. 

The female mage smiled, returning her attention to the two older men that had previously occupied the table’s chairs. “Don’t worry, Yajima,” She spoke softly, reassuring. “We’ll find your niece.” Her tone held an edge through the sweetness. 

The chef lowered his head gratefully, blowing out a hesitant breath. “Thank you, youngsters.” 

 

***

 

The heels of her boots raked harshly across the cobblestone as she drove her body to continue sprinting down the street. It had been a while since she’d left the apartment, she regretted not grabbing food, or a book from the furnished place. Her breath held rigidly in her throat as she continued to bound around the city of Magnolia. 

She looked to the sky, eyes searching for a direction to follow. She remembered the burning her eyes had felt when she looked at the sunset a few hours previously while on the train. They’d arrived to the town not late after, she’d tried to memorize the route they’d taken to the apartment, but found herself too awestruck by the civilization to do much of anything. 

The city was dark, and desired people didn’t loom around the streets, there was no asking for directions at the time of night, Lucy knew. She may have been kept in a form of captivity, but she wasn’t dumb. 

Lucy picked up her slowed pace again, jogging down the main slat that linked up the shopping district. Her eyes searched for something that could help her recognize her environment when something ticked off her senses. There was a moment of stillness. 

Then the moment was over. Lucy whirled on her toes, she launched a quick jab at her opponent’s general direction, satisfied with a pained grunt that accompanied it, caring little if the person was a threat to begin with. 

She shoved herself past the being, catching in her peripherals the apparition vanishing. Lucy kicked herself against the road, rushing in the  direction  she’d been heading before. She scanned her surroundings with haste. 

Before she could even recognize what had happened, she was on the ground, the being before her again, arm outstretched. 

“Looks like Arcadios was right.” The voice remarked, obviously male. 

A frown drug down the blonde’s features. The name of her Assignist ringing in her ears. She stood grounchily, lowering her eyebrows in a warning of attack. A snort ran through the dark man’s shoulders. She observed that he had cloaked himself, concealing everything from her spying eyes.  The only distinguishing feature being his voice. 

“And what would that be referring to?” The blonde snapped, she was hesitant to attempt an escape, having not assessed her opponent the way she’d normally do. 

Lucy could tell by the movement in the dark, that the figure had crossed his arms over his chest. “That you’d try and get away first chance you could.” 

Lucy remained cautious, narrowing her eyes in an effort to see better, but the dark night worked against her to protect the man. “Surprise surprise, I don’t want to be a slave for information.” She slugged. 

In the span of a blink the figure had appeared in front of her. Her hair rushed from her face as a curt rush of wind blew against her, she stumbled back a step but was halted by a hand grasping her wrist. She struggled against it, reeling her other to slam the man’s face. Without so much as a flinch, the figure had her belt over in pain as her hand was forced behind her back, crawling upwards threatening to displace her should. 

A gasp of pain and protest caught in her throat as the man moved to whisper in her ear. Fear trickled through her as she realized her disadvantages and the male’s strength. 

“Do not attempt another escape, or you will return to the Mercurius Underground. And I doubt that anyone will be overly thrilled that you came back.” His voice did little to sway her, but the words he spoke shattered her confidence. The pain still flared from his hold on her, the rest of her body shaking without her permission. “Have I made myself clear, Four?” Her head hung low as she nodded, defeat coursing through her as the man let her go with a rough shove. 

She staggered to remain upright, the pain relieved itself in one area, transfering to another as she comforted her contorted limb. A scowl played her lips, she could tell the man was smirking. “Crystal.” She barked out, testing out her joints flexibility. 

“Now, the guild is that way,” He extended an arm in the opposite direction that Lucy had been traveling. “Off you go,” After a moment of snarled silence, he sighed. “Do I need to take you there myself, or are you going to cooperate?” The question was more tired than the previous conversation. He’d lost his patience in dealing with her. 

She lifted her chin high in the air, copying his stance from earlier as she turned her back and marched a few step the way he instructed. “I can get there myself, thank you.” She said turning her head to send another scowl at him but was met with an empty street. She blinked, eyes boring over the bare way. 

She cocked her head to the side, her mind suddenly blanking distinctly, before she returning to the direction she’d somehow decided on traveling. A blank canvas replacing the last few minutes of her internal timeline. She sighed her confusion away as a warning began to linger in the back of her mind, escape equalled her downfall. She didn’t understand how she’d come to that conclusion, but she decided to trust the gut feeling thinking about it gave her. 

She paced up the stone walkway, arms clutched around her, recognition of her location returning moments later. “To Fairy Tail or back to hell,” She mumbled, a hole in her stomach telling her that he’d get caught as soon as she took a step towards her freedom. “I guess I don’t really have much of a choice in the matter.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well folks, it's been awhile. I have been fairly busy with college, and my work life, and just the events of my future in general. I'll hope you forgive me for the abysmal update schedule. Hopefully, I will have more chapter out sooner than a span of months. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed, things are just starting really, and I do have some fairly big plans. Watch out for the future.


	6. What Is Missing

There wasn’t a complete lack of people in the streets, Natsu could smell the variety of drunks and night owls as he waltzed none too elegantly down the narrowing corridors of the city. His nose lead him up and down the stationed shops. It wasn’t hard for him to see in the night as he marched along, a band of four behind him anxiously awaiting for any form of life in their track. 

They had left the apartment not long after the Dragon Slayer and Warren arrived, the older men antsy in the stead of the missing girl. They worked themselves out of the home and onto the streets, Natsu immediately surrendering to a scent he wasn’t familiar with but wasn’t opposed to. 

The faintest fruit could be sensed aside the maturity of lilac, the flower’s nearly intense spice breaking into what the Slayer could smell. Paired with a tip toe of jasmine, the girl’s scent was definitely unique, and something that Natsu had never even thought to be intriguing before. 

Prior to Lisanna grabbing his attention in the guild the pink haired male was ready to leave for the night. The party that had happened that evening had kept him and a few other members late cleaning, those that weren’t drunk. He had left a sleeping Happy in the guild hall as well, assuming him safe surrounded by Magnolia’s most powerful wizards. The feline had a hard day between the job that he and Natsu had gotten back from and a not so sober Cana attempting to catch his tail.  

Natsu kept his eyes darting, looking for the trail of what he was tracking. It had led them into the heart of the city, on their way to the train station though still a mentionable distance from it. The thought of the moving compartments threatened to betray Natsu’s task as he paled in preparation. 

As suddenly as Natsu’s attention was lost it was captured again by a displacement in the street ahead of them. Although too dark to fully makeout, something blacker than the shadows of the night stood out to the sensitive eyes of the Dragon Slayer. He took a deep breath, the scent of jasmine and lilac overflowing the area. He grinned, knowing he’d found who he was looking for. 

As he opened his mouth to let the group know that he’d been successful the figure moved. The head turned to the direction of the five, Natsu could see nothing further than the figure, features seeming absent on a dark face. 

“Found her.” He said lame but cautiously, brow quirking questioningly as he took a step forward. The cold of the air seemed to bleed into Natsu’s skin for the first time since he could remember as he caught a pair of battle ready eyes from under the hood. There was a moment of contact that seemed to confuse the both of them as the figure straightened. 

Within a second she was gone, words of protest left Makarov and Warron’s lips as she fled down the street. 

Natsu’s feet seemed to move without his permission as he ran after her, he hadn’t expected to take off like he did but he let the shock roll over him as he chased her. 

It was easy to tell that she didn’t know where she was going, her movement erratic as she searched for a side street she could escape to. Though she moved uncertainly her every step was calculated, placed almost like she read the blueprints to every stone that her feet hit. 

She was fast, flying past anything unnecessary and taking short cuts that Natsu didn’t even know about. 

“Hey, stop!” He figured it wouldn’t have much of an affect as he sprinted after her, but to his surprise she halted very suddenly. Natsu dug his heel into the cobblestone in an attempt to stop himself, ending feet away from the girl. 

He drew in a breath, regaining his composure before something tingled his senses, without hesitation the girl planted her foot soundly against the ground and wound her leg back. Natsu jerked in reverse just as her limb kicked at him. Instinct took over as he ducked and pushed forward under her attack, balling fist igniting with bright flames that lit the area. 

His eyes focused on the girl’s face, for the first time seeing her features. She looked fierce in the orange light cast from his fire, but also terrified. The momentum he had gathered from the swing didn’t stop in time for him to realize that he should not be throwing a punch at the girl. Yet, she didn’t seem phased. 

It was apparent to Natsu that she was ready for a fight as she dropped expertly out of his path. She rolled over her shoulder, out of his way, gaining her bearings as she launched herself at him again. Her fist shot through the air, aiming for the Dragon Slayer’s head. 

Natsu recoiled out of the way quickly, throwing a burning fist her direction. But it never connected. 

The space before him held no trace of the blonde that had been there an instant before. 

 

***

 

“Should have known that it was take a bit larger of a push than that,” A strangely far and familiar voice sighed as Lucy slumped to the floor. “You’re useless, I swear.”

Her head spun dangerously, limbs numbs as she felt herself scatter into a space where she hadn’t been prior. Her stomach lurched, fingernails digging into a solid wooden floor that lay under her. The feeling of gravity dragged her further into the floor than she had ever felt before. A defensive wave washed over the blonde as her dizzy eyes ran around the room that she was now located in. 

“Where am I?” Lucy’s voice seemed pathetic as it scratched from the back of her throat, her tongued moving lazily as though coated with a sticky substance. 

“I’ll let you figure that out yourself, I’m sure you’re a keen observer.” She could hear the hint of humor from the statement, and her mind begged to argue for her pride but one breath of a word stopped short as her eyes screwed shut in displeasure. 

The blonde shifted as a step vibrate through the floor that she laid on, prompting her to force back the vomit growing in her insides, and propped herself up to her elbow. 

“Time for me to go, see yah around, Four.” Before Lucy could turn her head to the voice the person whose voice had been distinctly male was gone. She didn’t understand the kind of magic that was turning her stomach up to her throat. 

Blinking away the pain her vision was met by a pale pair of legs that were coming her directions. Anxiety seized her, but her limbs were still lame from the sudden materialization from moments before. 

Lucy heard humming before a loud gasp, and the sound of a dish falling, she could only assume that she’d been found from the reaction. 

“Oh my greatness, are you alright?” The voice was panicky but sweet and high. A gentle hand came to Lucy’s shoulder as a female bent down before her searching for a response. Her short hair was fair, matching her light skin, blue eyes boring into Lucy’s with concern withering their grace.

Lucy nervously jerked from the woman, her wrist connecting with the hand that had been placed on her in an attempt to get it away from her. She sat up fast, scooting away with purpose though everything in her protested the movements. Fight or flight sent urges down to her fingers to short live this interaction and leave the female in a pile on the floor. 

But something in her suppressed the canine-esk impulses as she watched a frown deepen the worry in the girl’s eyes. Lucy swallowed back her headache as she nodded a slow response. Her opposite seemed confused for a moment until her response registered. 

“Well jeez, you had me scared there.” She laughed though it held little humor, ending in a breathy exhale. She seemed almost content for a moment before turning her attention back to Lucy, eyes narrowing only slightly. “I haven’t seen you around here before, are you a member of the guild?” 

Her inquiry sparked Lucy’s own, a toppling word that was out before she could stop herself. “Guild?” Her voice was less hoarse than she would have expected if Lucy had planned out the scene. She lacked the confidence to clear her throat, or even move. 

The female cocked her head, smiling lightly. “Yes, guild. Fairy Tail? I’d think that if you’re here you knew where you are?” Confusion leaked into her tone as she stood from her previous crouched position. 

The blonde’s quick expression betrayed her as the corner of her lips teased downward for a moment at the words. “Yeah, that would only make sense.” She forced out, sounding anything but nonchalant. She could feel the disorientation fading, prompting her to gather herself on her feet, though she found comfort relying on a table that was conveniently placed next to her to retain her balance. She glanced around the space that she’d been mysteriously dropped in, it was occupied by tables and booths. There was a bar to one side and on the far wall was an elevated floor area, Lucy could only guess that it was a stage. The room was distinctly empty, Lucy and the other female its only occupants. 

“Are you sure you’re alright? I didn’t even here you come in.” She motioned at the door, the stress that was housed in her shoulders evaporating as a soft smile tried to console the obviously off put blonde. 

Lucy’s stomach rolled at the question, nodding again. She bit the inside of her cheek inconspicuously as an attempt to steel her nerves, her heartbeat too obviously erratic. “Yes, I think I’m fine,” She responded with a weak cough, her voice sickening her as it lacked her normal strength. 

The pale haired female sighed through her nose contently, her hands placed on her hips friendily. “Good then,” She finished nicely, her gaze dropping to the floor where pieces of the bowl she’d been holding had shattered. “What a mess. I’m so sorry, I’m normally not clumsy.” She laughed heartily as if she’d told a joke as she picked up a large shard by her foot. 

“I’m Lisanna, by the way,” She said as she crouched down grabbing a few more pieces after putting the biggest on the table, placing the smaller ones in the larger. With no response for a few seconds she turned her attention to the blonde expectantly. 

“Oh,” Lucy nearly laughed, awkwardly gripping her arms to her chest. “My name’s-” She cut herself off abruptly, swallowing the number that wanted to jump from her tongue. “Lucy, it’s nice to meet you.” The blonde couldn’t remember when she had been trained proper edicate and it felt artificial acting as though their meeting was a pleasant situation for her. 

Lisanna chuckled, standing again and began to walk towards the bar where she placed the broken dish and leaned over the wooden top, grabbing a broom from the inside. “Well Lucy,” She used her name like it was a object of bargaining. “Would you mind helping me clean this up?” She ask propping the cleaning utensil towards her. 

The Celestial mages breath shallowed but she gripped her fists tight before taking the broom from Lisanna. “Of course.” She bit out, beginning to sweep the floor. 

After a few moments the mess was gone, leaving the two girls to their dry silence. 

“So,” Lisanna began from behind the bar where Lucy had been urged to sit. “I can tell you’ve got a story.” She ran a towel around the rim of a glass before moving to another. 

Lucy,  who had been glaring at a cup of water generously placed in front of her, arched a brow. Her hands were hesitantly lying in her lap, she was uncomfortable with the civility and the kindness that Lisanna treated her with. “I have a what?” She questioned, eyes narrowing in uncertainty. 

The silver haired female watched Lucy closely, working on another glass. “A story, your life, an event that’s changed you. I have this feeling that you’ve got a good one.” 

“I wouldn’t say that,” Lucy cringed under the scrutiny, she had taken the cloak that withheld her body from the public off before she sat down, the material now draped down the back of the stool that she sat on. Her fingers played with the seams of her white suit, distracting her from her answer. 

“Hm.” Lisanna hummed again working to put away the glasses now, “Not very talkative are we?” She asked coyly, glancing at Lucy over her shoulder. “I guess I’ll get right to the business then, why did you come to Fairy Tail?” She seemed less innocent while she was asking, as though she was expecting a response that she didn’t want. 

“I, uh,” Lucy began before halting at the sound of wood creaking, within seconds annoyed conversation flitted into the vast guild hall. 

“But how could you just run in and attack with no knowledge of the situation?” A boyish tone yelled into the space. 

Lucy’s head snapped to the entrance, a sudden pit growing in her stomach as it consumed her slowly building comfort and replaced it with anxiety. 

“Hey, I told you, she attacked first. I wasn’t just gonna stand there and take it.” A familiar voice shouted back, Lucy’s eyes widened as the male with distinctly rosy hair entered the building, back aimed at the two girls at the bar. 

Lucy’s breath held in her throat,Her heart battered against her chest in an attempt to escape, her ribs tightening around her lungs in an attempt to asphyxiate her. The blonde would have happily welcomed the death over the feeling that currently plagued her chest. 

The male with rose hair abruptly stopped in the doorway, Lucy could see that there were indeed four other people with him. The man jerked his head in different directions, from the left to the right before turning his head around at a rate that looked unhealthy. His eyes connected with Lucy’s immediately, she could see the fire that smoldered behind then. Her stomach dropped, and the sudden feeling to escape replaced all her thoughts. 

“Welcome back everyone,” Lisanna said cheerfully, she seemed relaxed, in direct opposition to the female sitting across from her. Without greeting her, the pink haired male marched viciously towards the blonde. Their eyes never diverted from one another as Lucy shot up from her seat, legs trembling as her mind searched for a way to get out. 

“Natsu, what are you-” The question was cut short when he stopped inches from the blonde. He glared down his nose at her, and she glared back, seeming to reach his soul through her piercing umber eyes. 

“What the hell.” Natsu said frankly, his expression sour and angry. Lucy could feel the displeasure radiating off of him. 

Her muscles were still as stone while her consciousness screamed at her to get away. She held his gaze uncomfortably but refused to back down. The only exit was through the group of people that had just arrived, and she’d already had a taste of what the man in front of her was capable of, she didn’t want to find out what the rest were. 

“Lucy?” Yajima’s hopeful voice rippled through her thoughts, she tore her eyes from the fiery deep green that had captured her, and looked to her right. The old chef stood a few feet away, a pleasantly calm expression on his features, hands folded behind his back. 

Lucy swallowed thickly as she lowered her head and took a step towards the familiar old man but was met again by Natsu who pushed himself into her path. 

“So you’re Lucy then.” He wasn’t pleased, and he assured through his tone that everyone knew it, voice husky and low. He forced her backwards by striding forward, his eyebrows brought together in deep creases on his forehead. 

He made another movement to surge towards the blonde but was replaced by Makarov. The short man looked at Lucy with interest, immediately supplying her relief from Natsu’s intense look. Lucy noted duly that Natsu seemed to calm down, no longer promising death with only a glance. 

Lucy had her back pushed against the bar top, she stood defensively between stools as she and Makarov had a silent conversation. After a few moments the blonde pulled her eyes away and shrank at the stares that were pinned on her. The pit in her stomach grew violently and the desire to disappear made her mouth go dry. 

“I see what you were saying, Yajima, quiet indeed.” Makarov finally spoke, walking towards the absent bar that Lisanna was vigorously scrubbing in an attempt to remain inconspicuous to the situation. 

A soft chuckle left the chef as he wandered over and took the stool next to Makarov with less trouble than Lucy was expecting from the short men. “I’m sure she’ll perk up, she can be fiesty.” He joked with his old friend. 

“She’s rather pretty, don’t you think Warren?” A light female voice asked, stealing Lucy’s attention though she didn’t dare look at Natsu again, she could already feel his eyes boring holes in her head. 

“Yeah, an eight at least.” The first person that she’d heard from when the group arrived, commented. Lucy’s shoulders tensed as she looked at a female and male whispering loudly to one another. 

The female was admittedly well endowed, holding herself with confidence. Her body was hugged by a maroon dress, and she shared her hair with Lisanna, but her’s was far longer than the current barmaid’s. Her sapphire eyes, another similarity that she shared, were visible because of the bangs that were pulled into a tight tail above her forehead. 

While Lucy could easily define her as beautiful she described the man next to her with much littler words. His dark hair was scattered disorganized around his head, coming to an odd point at the crown. His eyes were nothing interesting, but it could be pointed out that he seemed perfectly symmetrical, a virtue Lucy didn’t dub appealing. His lip were proudly bulky, consuming the attention that was given to his face. 

“Oh, I think she heard us.” The female giggled, covering her mouth daintily. 

“Mira, stop gossiping about the poor girl.” Lisana interjected, shooting a wink towards Lucy as though she wasn’t confused by the situation. 

“That’s my older sister,” Lisanna said, moving towards Lucy down the bar after she’d served Makarov and Yajima. She leaned herself onto her elbows as she had earlier, motioning at the other female. 

“Hello, I’m Mirajane.” She gave a small curtsy, her face lighting up genuinely when Lucy waved smally at her. 

“That’s Warren,” Lisanna introduced again, Lucy following her gaze to the male that had been sharing conversation with Mirajane moments ago. 

“It’s a pleasure.” He greet with a salute, his right hand adorning his index and middle finger in a gesture away from his head. 

Lucy responded with a nod in his direction, her nervous tendency to roll her hair between her fingers causing her to impatiently swallow. 

“And that angry guy over there,” Lisanna jerked her thumb at him, Lucy was relieved to turn and see the male picking at the wood of the bar over glaring at her. “Is Natsu.” She leaned into Lucy a bit, cupping her hand towards the blonde’s ear. “He doesn’t like new people.” She whispered, though the glare that he sent towards the silver haired woman told the both of them that he’d heard her. 

“Well, I think the introductions are done.” A deep weathered voice drew the attention of the group, all eyes transferred to Makarov. “Lucy, this-” He motioned around himself to the large area, everyone following his movements. “Is Fairy Tail. We will welcome you with open arms, but I think you have a few questions to answer before we do.” He looked to Mirajane, who held a pieces of a cuff, far too familiar for Lucy’s liking. A shiver ran down her spine as she eyes the material, her hands instinctively consoling her forever bruised wrists. 

Yajima cleared his throat next to his friend before he spoke. “I’m sure we can answer your questions appropriately.” He prompted, smiling towards the celestial mage, but no warm was felt from his upturned lips. 

The master nodded, giving Lucy little time to adjust to the new stress of the atmosphere before he began asking her things. “Why did you run away?” It wasn’t the first query that she’d been expecting, but an answer flew off her lips before she knew what she was doing. 

“I wanted to see the stars. I’ve heard their gorgeous in Magnolia.” It came out quick, the second part flowing less than the first as she tried to justify her suspicious actions, though it held an amount truth. 

“Couldn’t you have just looked through your window, not go through all the trouble of getting these pesky things off.” Mirajane asked a moment later, her tone held none of the joy and sweetness that it had earlier. 

Lucy narrowed her eyes, brows furrowing. “I couldn’t see the whole sky.” She answered shortly, excluding the bite that she held earlier. 

“Why were you restrained in the first place then?” Natsu asked, he didn’t share the same calm sentiment as Makarov and Mirajane, his voice a hint under a yell with a gravel that came from his throat. 

“Natsu, please.” Mirajane pushed instantly, a frown on a gracious features. 

“I can answer that,” Yajima interrupted before Lucy could open her mouth, she took in his demeanor- relaxed, a small grin deepening his wrinkled face. “Lucy was a thief.” He said, addressing the rose haired male as he spoke. “She was caught a good while ago during a heist, how long had it been my dear?” The chef asked Lucy, coaxing her part in the story. 

Lucy diverted her eyes down, swallowing the pit that rose behind to behind her teeth. “Six years.” She said quietly, intertwining her fingers into her lap. 

Warren laughed from behind them, holding his hand against his head. “Six years? What’d you do, rob a church at age twelve?” He joked, crossing his arms over his chest disapprovingly. 

“You could say that.” Yajima played. Lucy had little idea what the chef had formulated for her whereabouts before the last few days, but she knew that one of her conditions was to keep secret her connections with the higher ups of Fiore’s royal help. 

“It was a bible.” Yajima interrupted, slowly bringing the glass of water Lisanna had set out in front of him to his lips. “Well, more of a spell book, really.” He continued, his tone stronger than usual. 

“It was a Zentopia prize if I recall, a holy book of sorts that cardinals of the archbishop would use in wake of the archbishop’s absence.” His words tumbled out with truth but the blonde knew they were formulated in lies. “She was in Zentopia’s custody for the majority of the time before being dealt with and lent to the Council. After they decided her time spent with Zentopia was enough for a lesson to be learned she was passed on to me.” Yajima took another small, yet long sip from his cup. 

Lucy, despite the fact that she hadn’t commit the crime, hung her head in shame. Small needle-like pricks scattering her skin as the judgement from those around her seemed to seep into the air. 

“And you want her to join Fairy Tail.” The posed question that was interpreted as an unagreeable statement was asked by Natsu, it became apparent to the Celestial wizard that her scene earlier had done her no favors. 

A brief chuckled left Yajime as he nodded. “I couldn’t imagine her anywhere else.” It felt genuine as it processed through Lucy’s ears, her head finally rising as she looked to her only friend. 

“I see,” Makarov said, eyes trailing to Lucy. “Why did you really run, Lucy?” He addressed, watching the way she screwed her eyes shut momentarily at her own name. 

The celestial mage took a breath, her back grazing the bar counter behind her, her tongue forming an applicable response. “I thought you were going to hurt me.” Her voice was quieter than a whisper, a sigh leaving her as she felt the blood rushing through her body, pins and needles spiking through her nerves. 

Natsu laughed besides her, his head thrown back just as Lucy caught sight of him in her peripherals. “You’ve got to be kidding me,” He growled from his throat. “Hurt you? What gave you that idea?” He continued to laugh, though it held no humor to the others. 

“Well, I was right wasn’t I?” Lucy shot back before biting her tongue. 

“I’ll remind you, you attacked me.” Natsu barked, shoving himself away from the stool to stand defensively with his arms crossed over his chest. 

“And you knew who I was.” 

“What does that have to do with anything?” Natsu seemed ready to fight again, his fingers twitching as those around him could feel the heat pouring from him. 

“You knew who I was,” She repeated from tight lips. “And you still fought back.” 

She seemed to have stumped him as he bit his bottom lip and turned away from her. “Lisanna, do you know which room Happy is in?” The aggression from his tone hadn’t gone away. 

“He’s in one of the beds in the resting room, probably still with Cana. I think they fell asleep in there with Romeo and Laki when they were in there earlier.” She informed softly, her smile never withering even from his sour attitude aimed towards her. 

“Well,” Makarov announced as Natsu vanished down a corridor towards the entrance to the guild. “I would like to continue this conversation privately.” 

“Of course Master, would it be alright for Lisanna and I to head home? It has gotten rather late.” Mirajane teased. 

“Yes, sleep well girls. See you in the morning.” 

Lisanna set the cups she was drying down, and took the apron from around her neck. “Goodnight Master!” She called as she linking elbows with her sister and exited the guild with laughter and the beginning of a bright conversation as Warren called after them to escort the two home.

He turned back to the blonde, his face a stone. “Well Lucy,” He paused. “Who are you?”

The question burned her ears,  _ who was she? _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize to everyone that may have been waiting on this chapter, I've been having a hard time finding the inspiration to write. This chapter went through about six different renditions before I decided on this. I am not the most happy with it, only because it took me so long to write. Again, I am so sorry for the delay, I don't want to go on another hiatus.   
> As always, let me know what you think if you like, thank you to absolutely everyone that has read, and thank you to everyone that commented and kudoed, I appreciate it so much and it has really kept me going.   
> Reagan


	7. The Mounting Pressure

“Makarov, please reconsider,” Yajima begged from a velvet seat across from the guild master.

“I’m sorry, friend,” He seemed sorrowful, over what, Lucy couldn’t pinpoint. “She’s too dangerous.”

The chef sighed out of irritation before chuckling humorlessly. “Too dangerous? For who? Because surely you can’t mean she’s too dangerous for Fairy Tail.” He shot back, negotiations turning desperate as Yajima vouched for the blonde.

Makarov pinched his nose in frustration, his stature far too small for the throne-like chair behind his wooden desk. His office was on the second floor of the building, floor to ceiling bookshelves decorated the walls. Papers and books piled across the surface of his desk, slightly obscuring the view of the small man. The only furniture in the room was the man’s desk and the two dwarfing air chairs that face one another on either side to the wooden station.

“She is a liability, I can’t have her walking around representing our guild when she’s a criminal.” He reasoned.

Yajima’s argument seemed to die in his throat as he understood the hesitance in Makarov’s agreement.

“But don’t you help those in need?” Lucy forced through the silence, she knew that she would have to return to her hellhole if she wasn’t welcomed into Fairy Tail and she would do anything to be accepted at this point.

The two pairs of elder eyes that slid to her wavered her resolve but she continued. “Yajima told me that Fairy Tail is for people that need a family,”

“Old friend,” The chef introjected. “Lucy may have a place to stay, but she doesn’t have a home.” He pushed, his voice was raw in a way that made Makarov squint.

The master’s fingers rubbed down his face, the bags that held under his eyes forcing the two to acknowledge his fatigued state.. “One week. If anything happens I will send her back to you.”

His warning seemed to lift a fog in the room, a smile spreading across the old chef’s face. “And after that week?”

“I may consider letting her join the guild.”

 

***

 

“Happy,” Natsu called as he entered the infirmary of the guild, a frown etching deep into his features. He rounded the first white sheet hanging from ceiling to floor to provide privacy for those that inhabited the space.

A blue cat lay curled on the pillow of the bed, tail flicking occasionally. He clutched a fish to his chest, drool seeping from his mouth. Purrs stirred the silence as Natsu’s hands pet the area behind the cat’s ears.

“Buddy, hey,” He nudged the cat’s side lightly. “Happy, wake up.”

The feline’s ears twitched before his head popped from his sleeping position. Happy’s eyes gradually opening followed by a yawn as he smacked his lips and sat up.

“Natsu, how long have you been watching me sleep?” He asked, drowsily rubbing at his face.

“Not long buddy,” He reassured, his hand coming to rest on the top of Happy’s head which soon fell off as the cat canted it to the side while delivering a pointed stare.

“You look tired,” Natsu’s small friend pointed out.

The Dragon Slayer smiled, the creases beside his mouth normally portraying joy seemed to scream in exhaustion. Under normal circumstances, Natsu would just leave the guild and return home to find a comfortable, but slightly dirty bed waiting for him. But the situations he was in wasn’t what he considered to be normal in the least.

“It’s been a long day.” He confessed while standing.

Happy nodded, leaving from his sitting position into the air with the help of white wings that sprouted from his back. “So, why did Mira need you?” He asked hovering by his friend’s shoulder as he exited the infirmary. Indicating that at some point he had woken to Natsu’s absence and had searched the information.

Flashes of the blonde, Lucy, ran in front of his eyes. Her fiery tenacity, and intimidating carob eyes, his teeth sank into his lower lip. Natsu’s eyebrows furrowed in frustration, a huff leaving his lips before he could stop it.

“Some reconnaissance mission,” He yawned, shrugging, hoping Happy would leave it at that.

“And how did it go?”

Natsu nearly growled as they reached the bottom of the stairs and the door to Gramps’ room opened, Yajima and Makarov followed closely by Lucy come out. His ears perked to the ‘thanks’ that left the chef’s mouth. Natsu’s eyes followed the blonde’s movements with angry precision, her cloak folded in front of her body as she stood rigidly next to the two men.

“Not well.” He grumbled, smoke huffing from his nostrils.

The three pulled their attention from one another and looked at Natsu, his guild master looked at his with a stressed scowl but unnameable anticipation. He tracked around the tables and headed towards the large wooden doors that would lead him to his cottage. The feeling of a hot glare rested between his shoulders, the heat uncomfortable and unlike anything that he was used to.

“Come on Happy, time to go home,” Natsu said, sensing the cat behind him.

 

***

 

“He didn’t seem too pleased.” Yajima speculated towards the rosy Dragon Slayer, as he walked Lucy back to her apartment.

The blonde walked cautiously beside him, her heeled boots filling the silence of the traverse back. “I can’t say I made the best impression by anyone’s standards.” She admit, holding her arms crossed by the elbow.

A sigh came from her left, her gaze shifting over to meet the sidelong tired expression of Yajima. “Yes, I agree.”

Silence fell, an uncomfortable beat filled the air, the resonance of Lucy’s heels echoing through the late night’s street. It was cold, though the blonde had trouble identifying whether it was from her own chilling thoughts or the true temperature of the environment.

Swears ran through her mind, the repetition of scenes from the interactions with Natsu, to Lisanna, to Makarov screwed her eyes shut for an unforgiving moment before a deep breath ran from her lungs. Her fingers twitched in embarrassment the rolling knot in the bottom of her stomach danced for a moment of regret.

Lucy knew very little about truly interacting with other people. She’d forgotten long go what happiness felt like, and she personally preferred not having a distraction like it barricading her life into a box of safety.

“Lucy,”

Her head snapped down to the chef, he had a look of dark concern in his small eyes. They peered at her in intense meaning, his head nodding towards the building they stood in front of. The burnt orange brick of the apartment designated to her flashed in her peripherals. The dangerous coil she felt in her stomach seemed to jump to her throat.

“This is where we part.” Yajima’s words sent a sense of dread through her limbs, the blonde subconsciously reaching towards the only familiar element to her life beginning in Magnolia.

The old chef brought his hand up, silencing the argument that urged to spring from her tongue. His eyes assessing her with junctured patience. “I understand the obvious disagreement you have to me leaving,” Her cloak was pulled tightly around her, her form shrinking away from his scrutinizing gaze.

He waiting a moment, accepting her baiting response but it never came. Yajima noted her hung head, reminding him distinctly of a scolded child. A smile crept to his wrinkles.

“I have confidence that you will thrive here, and I do believe that the reasons that the Minister of Defense sent you here will give you purpose. Look past yourself and see the good that you are doing.” He said with the hint of a laugh in his tone.

Lucy flared at this.

“I don’t understand Yajima,” Her voice a nearly deaf to the man’s ears, a hushed whisper. “Why me?”

The old mage’s quirked lips deepened with a miserable smile. He hadn’t prepared for the question, but an answer was simple on his tongue.

“You have so much potential Lucy, spend it on the things that matter and will move you along. Do not ruin your chances by shying away from responsibility.”

Her eyes peaked through her bangs, a thick swallow preventing the well under her eyes from spilling. She knew that Yajima hadn’t been pleased about her sudden disappearance, her brain stung with unsaid criticisms.

Lucy hadn’t stopped to think about herself, the true reasons that she was so important to this scheme of a plan that the Mercurius Men had set up. Their intentions for her dealings alluded her, though it didn’t seem like something that she could investigate without catastrophic disciplinary actions. A digging settled in her guts, something that seemed to beg her not to disobey. Eyes washed over the back of her head, a shiver ran through her.

“I must be on my way,” The chef said reaching towards Lucy’s hand steadily, gently pulling her from her thoughts. “It has been a pleasure, Miss Lucy.” The smile on his lips leaked gratefully into his tone as he placed the sets of keys to her apartment in her open palm.

The blonde returned his expression, dewy eyes meeting aged. She didn’t quite understand the sudden urge that caused her body to kneel down where she stood. Her arms pulled the small man into an embrace.

“Thank you, Yajima.” It seemed those words were all she could muster. After a short moment, she picked herself back up, raking the hair from her face.

The chef grinned at her before turning away, his hands returning to their assigned place behind his back. “Goodbye, I hope to see you again.” He responded, with a smile to himself.

What felt like hours to the blonde passed as she watched her only companion leave her, the sinking dread of her abrupt loneliness ached. Her eyes met the winking of the star comfortingly. A shallow breath left her before she shifted into the building that she was forced to call home.

It was quaint, far more spacious than anything she would have thought the butcherous men that held her stings would have given her. A spark of gratefulness bloomed in the blonde’s chest as she dragged a finger along the side of a bookshelf that laid against the wall. Eyes roamed around the room before her gaze snapped dangerously towards the table. Her attention pushed her from her gratitude as she noticed a pale jade envelope on the surface of the wood.

Nerves sprinted through her fingertips as she grazed the soft paper of the sleeve. She examined it with care, peeling the red seal from the wrap open with care. The opened containment revealed a simply folded stationery, the parchment white with swirled ivory to create the illusion of a border around the text. The handwriting was firm but held character the blonde noted as she peered over the contents. Curiosity bloomed before her anxiety as the words processed through her. Tension filled her brow as the message made itself clear.

 

_Four,_

_We understand that you must be confused, you had little notice before you were shipped to another half of the country. We cannot stress to you your importance to our work, you have experienced our treatment since you were young as to successfully assist you in endeavors much like the one you find yourself a part of now._

_You were a prominent student, very punctual, perfect for what we had planned._

_You see, our beautiful country of Fiore has been… under scrutiny by a neighboring country for a fair while, our military assets have explained the importance of being discreet. And advised our company to enable a team to quietly investigate where our forces cannot. Gain information on the populace that could prove detrimental to our country's health, in an attempt to piece together a functioning strategy._

_Alongside you, Two and Three work in differing locations. Both of them are doing virtually the same that you are, but perhaps slightly less complex. You are our bidding tool._

_Your assignment is to gain information on possible weak points in our defenses and report to a representative that will bring the information back to us. Pursue jobs through your new guild to establish the way of life  You will document your findings once a month. But, we’re sure you can guess, there are consequences for your failures. We have given you plenty of opportunities to succeed, you have a place to house, you will have an allotment the first month to spend on necessary items, and a place to begin your search. We have given you better circumstances then your training companions. Be grateful._

_Now, Four, we ask you to forget all attempt of making yourself a missing person. You must remember that we have eyes around every corner, and your attempts will be futile. If you attempt to escape we will scrap you of the freedom that we have given you, keep in mind your punishment will be far worse than simple failure._

_In one month we expect a survey on the town of Magnolia, a constant. We do not care about your opinion or how you are living, we would appreciate facts and data. City size, agricultural influence, political standings, the wealth of the populace._

_We look forward to your report and recommend your success._

_A & D _

 

Lucy’s eyes peeled over the text again and again.

War. They meant war.

Frustration encouraged the teeth sinking into the blonde’s bottom lip. She knew that her existence to them had been solely based on what she was able to accomplish, but she’d never truly imagined that her supposed freedom would root from essentially performing the acts of a military dog.

A grunt of annoyance echoed through the empty apartment. “Welcome to the life, Four.” She murmured, voice low.

A subconscious tug left her sighing, her breath slowly releasing from her lips. She drank in the apartment once more, an optimistic bubble forming behind her eyes. Her wrists came to together, nine fingers raised as gold washed the space she was in.

Sparks of gilded light twirled into the form of two beings, solidifying into the beings of Gemini.

“Hello, Lucy!” They greeted enthusiastically, arms waving with excitement. Their blue forms glided through the air towards the mage.

The blonde giggled as she opened grasping the figures and hugged them tight.

“It’s good to see you two,” She said with relief as they floated to a comfortable distance from her. The apology that she had told herself to rehearse while on the train was ready in the back of her throat.

“We missed you,” They stated in unison, bowing their heads slightly towards her. “We were all so worried.”

Their comments confused her, her smile faltering to an expression of puzzlement. “You don’t need to worry about me,” She offered gently, placing a hand on either of their cheeks. “I’ll always be just fine. I am sorry to worry you.”

A feeling of triumph blossomed in the girl’s chest as the spirits nodded.

“Thank you for your kindness, Lucy,” Piri whispered, voice quiet but full of purpose.

The blonde sighed. “I summoned you for a reason,” She began, throat coarse. “I want to give you a choice.”

Her fingers fidgeted, she didn’t understand the nervous feeling that thread through her. “When I first contracted you, I never gave you one. I never gave any of you a choice.” Her face was downcast, she hadn’t the heart to look the Spirit in the eye as she spoke what she had wanted to since the contract of Aquarius.

“But I want to now, I don’t know the consequences that it will have for me, but I don’t care. All I care about now is if you want to form a true contact.” Lucy’s tone sang with the notes of an apology, she held grief for the painful days she spent summoning without their consent. She had read in study material that filled her countless hours of loneliness and boredom given to her by her Assignists that ancient contracts were not created but the use of the Eclipse Gate. Somehow that always stung correct, over the forced contracts through the Gate’s use.

“You won’t be a slave or a tool, you’re not a shield. But I understand if I’ve made you two feel like one. Please, don’t feel obligated to continue our previous contract, I will end it the second you say you want me to.” She straightened her shoulders then, raising her head to look at the spirit while they made their decision, growing in confidence as she spoke.

The blue pair turned towards one another and nodded before looking back towards Lucy.

“Lucy,” She waited baitedly for their response.

“We wish to form an official contract, with you as our summoner.”

A sincere smile bit onto Lucy’s lips, a tear falling from her cheek.

 

***

 

He paced the length of the rug on the floor, fingers threaded through his hair. An expression of annoyance pulling his features into a frown, Happy noted. Natsu had begun his weird invisible tightrope act about an hour after they reached the cottage they called home. The Dragon Slayer had been particularly close-lipped throughout the night, not falling into bed immediately was the cat’s first clue into the strange behavior.

Happy’s teeth sank into the side of a particularly juicy salmon, a hum of content could be heard as he continued to eat the fish.

“You want some of this Natsu, it’s really good?” He offered, holding the fish for his best friend to examine.

The rosy haired male stopped, turning disgruntledly towards his roommate. His eyes softened when he addressed Happy.

“Thanks buddy, but that’s yours.” His declination was met with the sass he knew he should have been expecting.

“Fine, the more for me the better.” He shrugged as he dug in, careless to the rolled eyes from Natsu.

“Why are you acting so weird anyway? Is it because of the girl at the guild?” Happy slyly asked, a mischievously look on his face.

Natsu plopped down next to his friend on the couch, shoulders slumped forwards with a pout evident from all angles. “I’m not acting weird.” He retorted lamely while crossing his arms over his chest, glaring sidelong at the cat.

Happy smirked back, another bite of the fish seeming to cement his opinion. “You’re right,” He said before laughing out, “You’re acting really weird!”

Natsu sulked his response, huffing off the couch towards his hammock. The ceiling creaked as he flung himself unenthusiastically onto the woven cradle. His hands found their way behind his head. “So maybe I am, what of it.” He grumbled.

This girl, Lucy, he wasn’t a fan of her. He couldn’t quite place his finger as to why. Sure she’d tried to kill him when he first tried to talk to her but he could see his fault for running after her even from his side. It was something in the way her story seemed to add up, a thief? Fairy Tail didn’t need one of those slinking around, a thief from a young age no less.

But there was something about her demeanor that bothered him as well, the chef had said that she’d recently gotta out of Zentopia prison, which in itself seemed like a feat. He’d picked up that there was a family correlation between the pair, but he couldn’t smell even the faintest distinguishing scent. Blood-related or not.

Her interactions with Lisanna also didn’t add up in his mind, she’d attacked him on a whim, needing no further prodding except him calling and running after her. But Lisanna didn’t have a scratch on her when they arrived and she was there, nor did she exhibit any mannerisms that pointed to her under stress. So Lucy must not have played the same games with her as she did him.

And the largest discrepancy by far was her ability to just disappear. It was the part that unnerved him the most throughout the full night. She had been there, inches from him, in boiling contact and within the blink of an eye, she was gone. Not just gone either, completely untraceable, she’d disappeared. Which again didn’t add up, if she had the abilities to teleport why had she begun running from him in the first place? Why wait until they were a mere moment from break each other to pop out of existence. Furthermore, why would she have chosen the guild? Wasn’t that the exact place that she was running from?

He couldn’t have been that scary, Natsu refused to believe it.

“Earth to Natsu,” Happy’s voice ruptured his thoughts, Natsu’s attention immediately transferring to the blue cat.

“Sorry, what were you saying Happy, I missed it.” He yawned out.

“Oooooh, you got it bad!” He cried, wings carrying him in circles around the room.

Natsu dragged his hand down his face, feeling the headache approach with nothing to combat it. He could loosely obtain what the flying blue cat was referring to but refused to make the connection in his own mind without the push of Happy.

“A headache? Yeah, I do, thanks for that.” His passive aggression getting the better of him.

“Well, now you’re just being a baby.” Happy replied grumpily, dropping from the air back onto the couch.

Natsu ran his fingers through his hair, breathing deeply through his nose. He knew he shouldn’t take his agitation out on Happy, and that in the end would do little but upset the poor Exceed. He huffed.

“So maybe it is about the girl.”

Happy shot towards him faster than he could account for, the cat running into his chest.

“You like her don’t you!” He accused seriously, eyes somehow wider than usual. “Who is she, why have I never seen her before?!” His demands were justified, but Natsu sat stunned by what he’d first exclaimed.

He didn’t know what to answer first, Happy seemed to lose patience by the second. “First of all!” The Dragon Slayer announced, putting his hands up in surrender to the feline. “I do not like her, I do not know her.” He felt the need to really spell it out, irritation digging into his tone. “Her name is Lucy, she is a new member of the guild.”

As far as he knew, Gramps had taken the blonde up to his office to give her the guild mark and call it a day, he wasn’t quite in the mood to stick around and find out, though he was curious to what was said behind the closed door. Perhaps he should’ve eavesdropped. The image of a giant fist flattening his ass filled his mind and he no longer regret his earlier negligence.

Happy sat waiting on his chest, obviously requiring a more in-depth play by play of the blonde. One that Natsu wasn’t quite sure he was up to give or knew enough to.

“Hows about we bother her tomorrow at the guild? I’m sure she’ll answer all your questions.” He nearly cringed at himself as he let the words fall out, remembering being nose to nose with Lucy and her maintaining a reserved attitude.

“Aye, sir! Sounds good to me!”

Natsu nodded, fanning his mouth as he yawned to show his end to their argument. There was no going back from that promise, whether or not the Dragon Slayer liked it, Lucy was there. And he had a feeling she was there to stay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone, It's been a little while, but your girl's finally out of school. I can't say I'm ecstatic for the summer, the weather is already drenchingly hot here. But that's not really what's important.  
> But what is important is that I got a new chapter out! And I am so excited for what I have planned, this fic is going to be a rollercoaster, for sure.  
> Thank you to everyone who has commented, kudoed, and just enjoyed what's happened so far. I hope you like the new chapter, it went through a couple renditions, but I have to say I'm happy with its final form.


	8. Everything Has A Price

Natsu grit his teeth in irritation, the low sound of a growl crawling from his throat. His fingers drummed impatiently against the booth’s table that he sat behind, foot bouncing as a distraction. He watched his blue-furred friend occupy himself with the other guild members, but he could sense every minute of impatience to the absence of the blonde he was looking forward to meeting.

Natsu had hoped that Happy would waste all his energy on Lucy in the hours before noon. But he was quickly awakened to reality when he entered the guild and was presented with a picture that lacked the distinctly golden hair he’d been strangely wanting to see. Not to form any sort of contact but to further the information that he had accessible to him. Natsu had no doubt that Happy would be able to pry details from Lucy that she didn’t trust him with, it was the cat’s secret ability.

But unfortunately for Natsu Lucy hadn’t shown up to the guild. He’d asked around after about an hour of waiting, Mira and Lisanna had informed him that she hadn’t shown nor given any sign that she would arrive at the guild hall in any reasonable amount of time. He grumbled and decided to wait it out, Happy landing eagerly beside him springing questions pertaining to the girl current whereabouts.

He sulked, having hoped that their ordeal would be over with swiftly, allowing for the Dragon Slayer and his partner to take a day job that would give him the opportunity to blow off some more than necessary steam. Smoke burled from his nostrils, his chin rested on the flat of the table.

Where was she? She’d been pretty damn adamant about being a part of the guild the night before, enough that she’d gotten in his face about it. Or maybe he’d gotten in her face… Whatever, what was important was that she wasn’t where she was supposed to be. That was in the guild, so he could further interrogate her.

Draping his arms over the table top he let out an irritated sigh of frustration. Icicle Ass had come over and harassed him sometime earlier, much to his dismay Natsu hadn’t been in much of a mood for party tricks and sent him halfway across the guild with what felt like a roll of his eyes. He stood abruptly, body language slumped, eyes catching the blue furball as he bounded towards him.

“Hey Natsu,” He said, his voice holding a monotone quality that told the Dragon Slayer something was up. He pulled himself onto one of the cushions that the booth housed, plopping down with a lack of purpose.

“Hi Happy, what’s up?”

“Not much,” He replied lowly, small back paws kicking off the edge of the seat. “Where is Lucy, I thought you said that she would be here?” He knew Happy liked new people but he hadn’t expected the Exceed to be so interested in Lucy.

Natsu noted how disappointed he was, his anger flaring. “I know, buddy,” He let out coolly, taking a breath before he continued. “I thought she would be here too, looks like she had something better to do.” His tone surprised him, it came out softer than he’d been expecting, the pending animosity dying in his voice.

“Oh, well tomorrow then,” Happy decided, walking away with a renewed bounce.

As far as Natsu knew tomorrow was a wide possibility as well, his stomach soared in a sudden restlessness for the blonde.

 

***

 

“I don’t want to go,”

Her argument was simple, the accessibility to the guild would dwindle the more trouble she caused, Lucy figured that if she resisted the non-existent urge to scour around the hall she would lessen the chances of her demise.

“But miss Lucy,” Capricorn mused, the roll of his consonant betraying his serious tone. The large goat held a humanoid form, the strength of his arms apparent even through the suit he worn. He was poised at the table spaced in the center of the room, arms crossed over his burly chest.

“Capricorn, please,” Lucy begged from her halted position, her fingers were intertwined as her thumbs played together with anxiety. She plopped to the floor where she’d been pacing a moment prior.

She had slowly summoned all the Spirits she had at her fingertips throughout the previous night. She’d summoned a great portion of them, offering them the same choice that she’d given Gemini. She was pleased to receive the same answer from the nine, though Aquarius had nearly flooded her apartment when Lucy attempted to thank her. Lucy could tell that the mermaid had been pleased with her consideration.

The day swept by, Lucy sleeping through a large portion of the sunlight. She’d awaken to rays hitting her face with a level of assault she hadn’t felt in years, the sun was still a foreign object to her, honey eyes not prepared for the amount of light the body gave off.

Capricorn had been her last summon, she’d drown herself in sleep after summoning her first six Spirits. Her body held the exhaustion that she felt from traveling the days prior, muscles dangling and every movement caused her conditional pain. She’d awaken to her surroundings filled with a natural yellow glow of afternoon before she continued her escapade of apologies and choices.

But there she lay, the Celestial Wizard’s body shivering with tension. Her legs were crossed in front of her, hands tangled in her hair. The air was filled with spurts of apprehensive magic, vibrating to the beat of Lucy’s heart.

“I can’t go back,” Her voice was breathing above a whisper, the fear shaking it in a pathetic way.

The goat stood from his seat taking two strides to cross the floor, before standing above Lucy. “And you won’t,” The bleating in his throat never escaping. “But you must do this.”

Her head raised, the glossy caramel of her irises holding tightly to a tone of qualm. “How do I face them,” She paused as she foraged around the room for the finish to her question. “If they already hate me?” The quiet barely graced the Spirit’s ears as he reached down to lay a hand on her shoulder.

Capricorn smiled gently. “No one could hate you, Miss Lucy,” He drawled, bowing slightly. “Now go, you have people waiting.” With a stall on the dull pull of magic Lucy looked to her companion as he slowly assimilated to the Spirit Realm.

Her mouth gaped a second as he disappeared. “I didn’t say you could leave!” She cried, flopping forward before rolling onto her back. A sigh left her lips, eyes peeling around the apartment.

Her body felt disastrously close to collapsing again, the extended amount of time she’d kept Capricorn’s gate open drained her more than she’d like to admit. She peered out the window, the sheer drapes waving with purpose from the wind playing through the opened glass. The breeze swept the blonde tufts from her forehead in a strange sense of consolation.

Her groans filled the room as she brought herself from the floor, her hands skimmed the back of the chair her Spirit had been seated in. Her heart twisted as their conversation replayed in her mind, a sore spot forming on her bottom lip from the near constant worrying of her teeth at the thought of the guild.

The twirl of nerves in the pit of her stomach sprang to life, butterflies dancing as she looked at herself in the mirror of her bathroom. A disdainful expression housed her features. She poked a finger at her cheek, the bags under her sockets dark against the pure of her eyes. She dragged her hair into a knot on the top of her head, noting the need for a shower.

The blonde stuttered out of the bathroom, bouncing on a single foot as she pulled the skinned jumpsuit from her leg. Shrieking as she fell against the wall, Lucy huffed off the latex material. She’d checked the wardrobe the night previous, curious to its contents.

Lucy readjusted the collar for the third time, the white and blue top shifted with her movements, zipped to her neck. Her hands went to smooth the pleated skirt that did little to cover the pale legs under them. Her skin was milky from years of unexposed time. Scars decorated lightly every few inches, disrupting her complexion.

Her hand hesitated at the knob, the door before her shielding her from the outside world. Her gut lurched as she twisted the door open and stepped into the apartment’s hall.

“Here goes nothing, Lucy.” She whispered to herself as she locked the door behind her.

The entrance to the guild was slightly more magnificent than she had recalled, the pale moonlight hadn’t allowed the blonde to be fully enticed by the glory of the building. It was gigantic, with three tiers of white brick and a slew of window. The cascading roofs were held by large green pillars adorning the triple stories. At the top floor, an orange flag with a strange bird-like insignia waved in the late afternoon breeze.

The sight caused the knot in her stomach to grow, her feet skidding to a stop before the entrance. The blonde placed a hand on the doors, observing the intricate design that drew into a point as a way to distract her from the barrier preventing her from entering.

A shudder racked through her as she pushed the glazed wood door open.

Lucy had little time to register her surroundings before a large object was hurtled her way. The shouts and sounds of crashing furniture had been less than apparent from outside the guild.

Reflexes sent her to the floor rolling to her right without her having to inform her body of the imminent danger that was now crashing against the second door of the guild. After a quick observation, she realized it was a person, a distinctly large person. The Celestial Mage rocked her head to one shoulder as she watched the giant climb to his feet and launch himself towards the center of the guild with a shout of “Man!”

Pushing herself from her crouched position Lucy watched as the behemoth was pitched back by a wizard with dark hair and a very distinct lack of clothing. A blush crossed the blonde's face quickly, her eyes averting with a small squeak.

“Lucy!”

Her head snapped to the sound of her unfamiliar name on the tongue of an acquaintance. She sighed with relief at the sight of a beckoning pair of sisters, their sweet smiles an accepted distraction over the distanced stares that she could begin to feel across her skin.

Lucy had been quick to notice the numerous amount of people that were currently housed by the walls of Fairy Tail, her adrenaline spiked at the curious pairs of eyes watching her every move.

With a deep gulp, she cautiously walked to the siblings at the bar, happy to be met with gracious and kind greetings.

“I was beginning to worry you weren’t going to show,” Mira said softly as she rimmed the glass in her hands with a cloth.

“Sorry, a bit of a late morning,” The blonde replied sheepishly from the seat she’d taken before them. Her fingers worried each other in her lap, anxiety riddling her joints.

Lisanna swiped at the spot in front of Lucy with a damp towel before placing a tall clear glass in front of her. “Don’t worry about it, Lucy, we all have them.” Her smiled told the mage she was safe from judgment as she gratefully sipped at the water. Her eyes found the fight behind her again, holding her interest as the sisters served the sudden influx of customers.

The burly man from before was rather unique, she noted. His face was heavily sculpted, with a large scar running from his right eye down his cheek. White hair was swept back in a hazardously placed mangle of locks. His right arm taken over in a strange material that resembled rock.

His opponent was considerably smaller, black tufts erratically placed around his head. Lucy watched in awe as the giant’s near naked opponent pulled a spear made of frosted ice from his palm.

“That’s Elfman, my big brother, and Gray,” Lisanna said from behind her, pulling her attention around, she was leaned over the bar on her forearms clothing dangling in her hands. “They don’t normally get into it, but Natsu left early today.”

Lucy’s lips crept downward, question springing to her mind about the mage she’d met the night prior. “Why’s that?”

No response came as arms dangled around Lucy’s shoulders, fingers gripping the zipper at her neck and pulling downward. “You got nothing to hide blondie, loosen up a little!” Came a cheerful voice from behind her.

She turned abruptly clutching her hands to her chest, the blonde was met by the smiling face of a stunning brunette, her hair cascading in waves to her waist. It seemed to Lucy that absent clothing was a trend of the guild, as the woman in front of her only held her modesty through a cobalt blue top, her stomach bare until the cropped brown jeans that rested on her hips.

The lingering presence of alcohol danced on the girl’s tongue as she giggled across Lucy’s shoulders. Lisanna placed a second glass next to her earlier one, a dark liquid swirling it’s inner cup. The brunette quickly snatched the stem and poured the substance down her throat with a speed that the Celestial Mage had never thought possible.

“Thanks, Lis,” She smiled groggily, pulling herself from Lucy while placing her hands on her hips. “So, what’s your story?” That question again, it was surprisingly kind, almost sober as she eyed the blonde sitting at the bar.

Words caught in her throat as she left her response in the air, gulping for something to say.

“She’s new here,” Mirajane interjected with a soft laugh that warmed the space. “Lucy, this is Cana, Fairy Tail’s resident Fortune Teller and Card Mage.” She informed,

“I think you forgot chronic alcoholic,” A smug man commented from the left of the girls, he sat at the bar with what Lucy could only imagine was a beer in front of him. His deep Prussian blue hair slicked back from his face, light scruff adorning his chin.

“No one asked your opinion, Macao!” Cana shot back fiercely, downing another glass of the crimson liquid easily.

“You’re on your third barrel,” A smooth voice commented from behind the pair of girls his hands sliding to either of their shoulders. His hair was a near obnoxious shade of orange, ginger not finalizing enough Lucy decided. His eyes were hidden behind framed blue glasses, the hue distorting the true color of his eyes. Jewelry decorated him, Lucy noticed. The cold of his rings shocking the blonde’s skin.

“And I plan on makin’ it four!” Cana howled victoriously, arm swinging around Lucy’s shoulder once again. “Come on Newbie, drink with me!” She cried joyfully, thrusting a cup of amber liquid into the celestial mage’s hands.

Lucy eased her away from the intoxicated group placing the cup on the bar counter, taking a few experimental steps backward as she eye’d them cautiously. She nearly fell as her back contracted something less than sturdy.

“Sorry, I wasn’t watching where I was going,” A petite woman flashed her a sorry smile, Lucy’s attention was drawn to the books in her arms, before being met with an even bigger smile. “I’m Levy McGarden,” She greeted, thrusting her hand towards Lucy. “I don’t think I’ve seen you around here before?”

Without a question, Lucy shook the small woman’s outcast hand. “I’m Lucy, and a little new here,” Neary shuddering at the unfamiliarity on her tongue.

Levy nodded happily, her blue hair that wasn’t contained by an orange headband bounced against her face. “It’s a pleasure,” She pauses a moment to look around. “What brings you to Fairy Tail?”

Her mind raced to an answer alluding to the truth but deterred from lying. “The atmosphere?”

“Good answer,” The blunette giggled, “Would you care to join me?” She asked, guiding Lucy to an empty table where she set her books down. “It can get a little rowdy here, but at least there’s never a dull moment.”

“I’ll say,” She scanned the area, taking a seat opposite the wooden surface of Levy. “It’s definitely lively,” Fingers finding themselves busy.

Her nosed raised from the book she’d opened, a smile splitting her lips. “That’s one way to put it,” The petite woman laughed as she pushed one of the books towards Lucy. “You seem like a fantasy kinda gal to me,” She observed as her eyes went back to the pages.

Curiously Lucy opened the cover, glancing between the blunette and the book before settling.

Hours passed and what felt like countless cups of tea went through the reading women’s systems. The blonde was shocked by the contents of the pages that Levy had given her, she’d never imagined such a precarious and elusive idea, eyes staying glued for ages.

The environment of the guild had been a rollercoaster of ups and downs, a moment of silence not spared for long before there was an outcry of guildmates and another round of rambunctious activities. More than once Lucy had been told to duck before a chair flew overhead.

It was reaching the later hours of the evening, guild members leisuring their way out and to wherever they called home. Many people had come by in the span of time, two, in particular, paying close attention to every one of Levy’s needs. Jet and Droy, Lucy recalled. She couldn't fain innocence, though Lucy counted herself as fairly oblivious to nearly any social interaction she could tell the two boys were pitching for something farther than friendship.

Levy had offered the blonde the book when she began yawning and called it a day.

“A welcome home present,” She’d said with a wink. Lucy had happily accepted, deciding her opinion on Levy, whom she’d found out was a talented Script Mage, would likely remain a treasured memory for the rest of her life.

The gut wrenching anxiety that had plagued the blonde’s thoughts seemed to simmer in comparison to the boil from earlier.

Lucy closed the book reluctantly, mentally noting the page for later consumption. Her arms stretched above her head, shoulders sore from the continuous sitting. The hall was nearly empty, only a few Mages remained, the Strauss siblings included.

With a small yawn, Lucy gathered the tray housing the cups and empty teapot and strode to the bar. Lisanna and Mira disengaged in their conversation as she approached, mirroring smiles on the sister’s faces.

“Thank you, Lucy,” The older of the two praised as she set it on the counter.

“You looked like you had fun today,” Lisanna commented, drying her hands.

The Celestial Mage nodded. “It was slightly overwhelming, but I don’t know what I was expecting.” She glanced around, taking in the wooden beams that trekked across the ceiling in ornate patterns that seemed too elegant for a guild of ruffians.

“It can be hard to relax sometimes, but it becomes more bearable.” Mirajane laughed lightly.

They shared a pleasant conversation, the three pinning thoughts about each guildmate Lucy had met. The blonde drank in the information, her questions spurring on delighted storytelling and hilarious recollections.

Sometime later Lucy found herself scurrying about the guild with Lisanna as they wiped the surfaces of the table, cleared dishes and cutlery, and replaced broken objects with mended ones.

“You’re such a great help, Lucy,” Mira said as she placed a tall glass of frothy pink liquid in front of her, adding a straw and sliced strawberry.

The Celestial mage smiled at her, a strange relieving feeling flushed her cheeks. The foreign ability to relax rested in her limbs, lolling her into a tired mood. “It’s the least I can do.”

“Oh, Lucy!” Lisanna called, she was standing in front of the request board with an expression of excitement flushing her face. “You should take a job with me!”

“I think that’s a splendid idea, Lisanna,” Mirajane encouraged brightly.

All at once the euphoria the blonde had been experiencing vanished, trepidation slide down her spine shakily. “A job?” Her voice was steely but wavered in protest.

A job. The task to kill as her Assignists had ordered her. They believed that to become closer to the ethereal being of the Zodiac a sacrifice to their element was required. Images flared at the forefront of her mind, the childish animals laying slain before her.

When the constellations were at their brightest Lucy would be sent out with others intent to watch her for a prescribed time. She would roam the forest surrounding the palace and scour for an offering, all the while praying to the Spirit King for forgiveness. She was forced to take the lives of creators that harbored the elements of her Zodiac. Some more prominent than other, the effects were bloody- summoning became difficult, normally excruciating for the weeks preceding, headaches would burst her concentration, she would suffer through countless sleepless nights in a row.  

Lisanna couldn’t mean a job like that, she could never know what Lucy went through and push her through that again. She was just paranoid, she had to be. But a primal instinct gnashed her teeth together in a close-mouthed snarl, fingers twitched in preparation of an attack.

“It says ‘Two, or more ready mages to transfer a magical property from Hargeon to Magnolia, unique object needing transport to a Magic Council outpost.’ It looks pretty simple, an overnight job at the most, eighty-thousand jewel, what do you say?” Her tone was light, Lucy could detect no deception or ill will.

Her breath came out in an uneven display, a heaviness pressing her chest, “Sounds like fun,” She managed out. Wrong. Of course, she had been.

“Great!” Lisanna said clapping her hands together. “How about we leave tomorrow morning? We can meet at the guild say,” She mulled over her option of more sleep or getting the job done faster to return her home. “Nine-thirty?” A stiff nod from Lucy had her eyes lighting up.

“Pack an overnight bag, just in case!” Mira suggested as Lisanna looped her arm in Lucy’s.

“It’ll be like a sleepover!” She cried, squeezing the Celestial Mage in excitement.

Lucy gulped a wary quirk to her lips. “A sleepover?” She asked, confusing painting her tone.

“Yes! I promise it will be a blast!”

For a moment Lucy trusted her, the purity of her enthusiasm seizing her before she shook her head in reply. “Yeah, of course,” She spared Lisanna and Mirajane a smile, the fatigue she had felt long since over.

“I’ll meet you at the guild tomorrow morning,” Lucy said, looking at the paper that Lisanna had picked. It didn’t seem difficult by any means, but the lack of sleep that was guaranteed to plague her for the coming days colored her own excitement with concern. “Nine-thirty.”

“Nine-thirty,” She waved as Lucy left the guild.

The night’s air was chillier than usual, the clear sky staring at Lucy as she walked the cobbled stoneway to Strawberry Street. The canal rushed alongside her, the blonde balancing on the wall to the channeled river. Her feet coursed a determined way as Lucy’s mind filed through the events of the future.

She had a lot to do, and not a lot of time to do it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, y'all! How are you all doing? I hope great.  
> So, I got this chapter out pretty quickly I think, and I really enjoyed writing it too. What I have planned is gonna be a lot of fun and more than likely pretty angsty for everyone involved. I'm sorry if there are any errors in this chapter, probably a consequence of trying to churn this baby out.  
> Shout out to GummySpectrum and VesselFMT, you two are peaches and the reason this chapter didn't have a month delay or anything of the sort. Thanks to both of you.  
> Anyways! I hope you enjoyed, hopefully, I get another chapter out soon.


	9. What The Future Holds

Lucy’s night had been plagued with terrors and nightmares of the coming events, she was sure her neighbors hated her for the amount of time she woke up in a shuffled screaming. Images of a dark mass looming over her, blocking out the sky captured her dreams. She awoke with a treacherous feeling in her limbs, the sun had just rose, lighting the sky a traitorous pink.

She didn’t even attempt sleep after the curtains of her windows began to glow with morning light. The shower that she had promised herself the previous night washing out the dreaded feeling that lingered in her muscles.

Water droplets fell from Lucy’s blonde locks as she rifled through the drawers of an oak dresser.

“Huh,” The sigh left her lips as each hand left a piece of clothing. “Why is everything so short?” She asked while shoving one article into a backpack that she’d found at the base of her closet. “We’ll have to do something about that once I get back,”

Her feet guided her to the door, the moment of hesitation before grasping the handle far less paralyzing than it had been the time before. She shrugged on a pair of shades that Capricorn had provided when she’d summoned him the day before. Her eyes were rather sensitive to the copious amounts of light that the daytime radiated while the sun was awake.

The heat of the day flooded her skin, hovering around her safely. It was an unaccustomed warm that was anything but familiar to her senses. This was summer, how entirely intriguing. In all her years spent underground, the blonde hadn’t expected the glow of the sun to be so welcoming. Seasons swept by without the girl’s permission, she had hardly ever been out of the Abyss Palace and when she had the nights all felt definitively similar, cold but refreshing.

The image of the guild approaching far faster than she’d anticipated brought the girl from her stupor. She’d learned quickly from the first time to pay attention to the atmosphere before entering, preferring to keep her head and sanity. She removed the shades, squinting as she walked forward.

Her fingers hovered the wood before firmly pushing the right door open. She was met with considerably less chaos than she’d seen the day before, giving her a small sense of relief. A smile had made its way onto her features before it plummeted into her core, the inhabitants of the hall were missing one distinct person. Someone Lucy had been looking forward to meeting up with and leaving as quickly as she was allowed. Lisanna was missing.

Lucy took cautious steps into the guild, the nerves pricking her arms distracting her from leaving. Her fingers tightened on the straps of her pack, the new leather twisting in her grip uncomfortably. The air was as choked as it had been the day prior, but the lack of dwellers allowed the chest room for Lucy to heave nervously.

The cool bench of the booth soothed the rapid beating that was pummeling her ribcage. Her head hung in patience, watching her fingers work the hem of the white shorts that she wished had covered further down her bottom, her thumb grazing a scar that was high on her thigh.

“Well if it isn’t the blondie from last night.” The form of Cana took the space of the opposite side of the booth. She had a plastered smile, radiating to her dark eyes that were flushed a violet with the early morning.

A habitual twitch of her mouth brought Lucy’s lip between her white teeth. She did what she could to suppress the sudden spike in anxiety that appeared with the brunette.

“Good morning, Cana,” She greeted tensely, not failing to notice the way her table partner’s brows drew together in speculation. She cocked her head to the side, running her eyes up and down the Spirit Mage.

“You look like you could use a drink,” She offered, a graceful smirk edging onto her lips with slyer than the blonde had ever expected from the reputation of Cana she’d heard of. Faster than Lucy could comprehend the brunette had a flask high above her head, before swinging it forward regretfully and wiping her mouth while extending it Lucy’s direction.

She shrunk back instinctually, putting her hands up in a mock form of surrender, a slight grimace against her pink cheeks. “No, thank you,”

Cana watched her a moment before shrugging a single shoulder. “More for me,” She mumbled into the container as she took another swig.

“Cana, are you trying to corrupt our innocent Lucy?” Mirajane asked sweetly, striding to the table with a tray balanced between her hip and palm.

“But of course,” She smirked again, meeting the woman in question eyes. “Someone’s got to.” A wink accompanied what felt terrifyingly like a promise.

Mirajane giggled delicately, her lips spread in a soft smile directed to the blonde. “Morning Lucy, I see you're ready for your mission?” She prodded kindly.

The Celestial Mage nodded at first hesitant before justly, hand coming to wrap reassuringly around the satchel’s straps. “Yes,” She said before her tongue fumbled with the question plaguing her morning. “Do you know where Lisanna is?” Her back straightened at the informal recognition, something ringing almost wrong about using her name so nonchalantly.

She laughed again, something that seemed to give charity to the girls’ ears like heaven’s bells. “She takes Natsu and Happy breakfast every Saturday, the poor boys are hopeless by themselves,” She confessed lightly, “I guess it slipped her mind last night when she’d asked you on a job, I’m sorry.”

It was hard not to forgive anything that came from the woman’s mouth. “It’s no worry,” Lucy waved out, breathing through the peek between her lips thoughtfully, a new question tampering with her attention; who is Happy?

“Cana,”

The questioning tone of the silver haired woman brought Lucy’s attention to the pair. The brunette’s chin was propped on her open palm, the flask draining suddenly sober into her mouth.

“Don’t you think it’s a little early for drinking?” Mira scolded, only to receive a stunning smiling in return.

“It’s never too early to drink,” She retorted lazily around the flask.

Mirajane’s face seemed to fall before it lit up in excitement. “Why don’t you read Lucy’s fortune?”

It came from nowhere, the confusion was written on the blonde face before she remembered the Card Mage’s official title, of sorts. The Fortune Teller, how interesting, ad terrifying.

Cana hummed in thought, her eyebrow shooting up under concentration. “Why not, I got nothing better to do,” She drew. “Ever had your fortune read kid?”

Lucy shakily looked between Mira and Cana, desperately trying to sense ill will from either as an excuse to justify to her abrupt wish to leave. Seeing little way out she shook her head. “No, never.”

A grin split the Fortune Teller’s face. “Great, I’ll be taking that v-card with pleasure,” She said proudly, waving a blue and gold designed tarot card.

Lucy watched in confusion as Mirajane tended to the blush powdering her cheeks. She rushed away with a small apology and busied herself with a few regulars at the bar that Lucy had been told about the night before. Her eyes turned back to the Mage in front of her, bewilderment coloring her gaze creamy caramel.

“You really are innocent, well, we got plenty of time to change that.” She said as a hand rose in the air, and in a blink, cards rushed around the pair. Designs and colors whirled around Lucy faster than she had time to make out. They scattered the air in a dramatic display, flying like newly released doves. They spun and twirled around the girls before landing perfectly in a deck inches from the Fortune Teller.

Her fingers flicked cards into place, shuffling the immense stack over and over with rehearsed and natural poise. Lucy could hear the excited cries of those around them piling towards the space greedily, the gasps of, “Oh, this one should be good.” to, “Cana’s readings are also the best.”

“You got a question kiddo?” She asked as she handed the deck to Lucy. She’d only read about situations like this, it was true witchcraft before the performance of magic was a common occurrence. Her fingers shook as she grabbed the cards from her table partner, the appendages lighting with energy the moment she touched them, seeming to grow to life. She cut the deck a few times, a sufficient wave washing over her as she set them back for Cana.

She hadn’t put much thought into a, she wasn’t particularly concerned with the overall theme of her life. She blew out a sigh as the brunette straightened the deck and met her golden eyes with a level of intensity she was certain Cana shouldn’t have.

“I want to know what my future looks like,” Lucy whispered almost to herself, not sure if it was true.

“Elaborate a little babe, that’s a pretty broad request.”

She bit the inside of her cheek, the corner of her mouth pulling downward at the motion. “Can you show me what I should be looking for?”

Cana’s eyes twinkled, the violet glaring into her smugly. “That, I can do.” She winked at her audience with confidence before returning to Lucy. “Cut the cards three times from left to right, for me.” She instructed, Lucy followed carefully.

The stacks were deliberately uneven, one housing very few while the others differing in height. Cana picked them up after, placing the left-most stack on the middle and then on the right.

“We’re ready to deal,” She said placing the deck on her own side of the table.

She began by flipping a card horizontally, placing it in the center of the surface, and followed it by angling another card on the top of the first. The third she placed to the left and the fourth to the right. Then one was placed at the top and bottom.  

“Mm,” Cana interrupted, “The cards like you,” She said as she placed four cards to the right of the formation starting from the bottom to the top. Her brows knit together as she glanced between the ten cards flipped over, specifically between the first two.

“You want the long explanation, or short ‘nd sweet?” Cana asked as she drew a bottle that’s whereabouts Lucy couldn’t place moments before it appeared.

“Short and sweet will do,”

“I can tell we’ll be great friends,” She let out an exhausted sigh before her finger landed on the second card placed. “See this one? This is your challenge card, this demonstrates what you’re having trouble dealing with right now.” She sipped again.

“This is the reversed Death card, it’s the card of change, transformation, I’m sure you get the point. That one is pretty self explanatory.” Cana mused, flicking her eyes around. She moved to another of the cards displayed. “Now, this is the outward influences card, it’s all about relationships. Luckily for you, you got Two of Cups.”

“And what does that mean?” Lucy inquired, wishing she hadn’t moments later.

“Fiery love life,” Cana answered with a wink, drawing an expression of mortification from the blonde. The surrounding watch shared a laugh at the declaration.

Lucy jabbed her finger at the last card that was played, desperate to redirect the conversation. “What about this one?”

Cana hummed, leaning over the table to inspect the few surrounding it. “That,” She paused for what the people could only assume was a dramatic effect, or perhaps a lapse of her already tipsy state. “Is the outcome card, it’s really supposed to tell you how the problem can be solved, and you, Lucy, are one lucky gal.”

“Why is that?”

“I hardly ever see this card played for mages, it’s very rare. That’s the Strength card, for non-magic users it normally defines a time of healing. But from what I’ve seen when presented in a mage’s deck it speaks of incredible power in your future.”

Lucy’s jaw slacked slightly, a giddy feeling rising in her blood. “That’s good, right?”

“Well, maybe not.” Her finger danced to the fourth card that was laid, a crumbling stone tower illustrated under her nail. “This card tells your future, and it’s not looking bright for yah,” She said dismissively.

“What do you mean, what does it say?” She asked quickly, finger intertwined tightly in her lap as a form of comfort. She hadn’t expected to fall so intensely into the reading.

“That card is the reverse Tower. It means destruction, turmoil, more synonyms that I don’t care to rattle off, you know, bad shit.” She explained while gathering the cards into a pile.

“Wait, that can’t be it! Can’t you tell me more about whatever you just said!” Lucy begged the dripping of the fountain of anxiety in her stomach beginning to pour.

“I could,” She grimaced, “But sorry kid, that’s all the cards say. Be sure ‘nd tell me what all that means when yah find out.” She gathered the rest and shuffled once, in a snap of her fingers they were gone. “I’m impressed, the cards seemed to like you. They were all relatively straightforward.”

“Really, because imminent doom and utter disaster doesn’t sound like they like me.” She shot back before she could stop herself. Her tablemates just smiled back lopsidedly.

“I wouldn’t worry about it too much, Lucy, the cards are dramatic bastards. The future fluctuates and changes so often that imminent doom could turn into prosperous condemnation.”

“And how likely is that to be the case?”

“Not very, but what’s the harm in keeping our fingers crossed.” She winked.

Cana excused herself with a cough of laugh and a challenge to two of the recent residents, she waded towards the bar as the people around the table dispersed.

“Well, that was a little exciting,”

Lucy turned to find her newest acquaintance leaning over the back of the booth seats with a smile on her face.  Her blue hair was clad with an orange bowed bandana, and low on her nose rested a pair of ovular reading glasses. Jet and Droy stood to either side of her, leaving Lucy to believe they were trying to be intimidating to the girl that held their teammate’s attention. Though, she thought, they just looked kinda constipated.

“Hey, Levy,” She greeted lamely, nearly giggling at the deepening frowns that took over the boy’s faces.

“Good morning, Lu. Talk around the guild is that you’re going on a job already?”

The blonde was slightly taken aback by the sudden use of a nickname, finding the ease of which Levy had spoken it slightly unnerving, but something in her soared at the friendly illustration that the girl had painted their spontaneous relationship in.

She realized then that she hadn’t replied and straightened her shoulders to cautiously articulate her response.

“Yup, I’m taking her on her first job. Showing her the ropes, I guess.” Lisanna answered as she slid in beside Lucy, her warm entrance serving as a sort of relief from the stress of the reading minutes ago.

Levy laughed lightly, placing her hands on her lap. “I envy you, with the session that Cana just gave her, I think that you’ll have an exciting time.” She played.

The blonde felt a suspicious heat on her back that lacked the pressure of a touch, a stutter climbing her spine at the sensation. Lisanna’s response fell deaf on her ears as she turned her head to the suspected directions and was met with burning irises.

Natsu’s knit brows allowed Lucy to easily place his emotion, frustration. He had a feral snarl working into his lips at the sight her of attention. He squinted his eyes at her staring, she didn’t understand the abrupt discomfort that replaced the grievances in his muscles.

“Right, Lucy?”

She turned her head back to the conversation that she’d canted herself accidentally out of with the lack of concentration. Her mouth hung in an apology as the girls laughed at her antics, a blush dusting her ears and the rose of her cheeks.

“Sorry, what did you say?” She squeaked out bashfully, her shoulders rising to cover the flush forming on her neck.

Lisanna smiled pleasantly. “I was just saying how much fun our mission is going to be,” She offered brightly.

Lucy smiled hesitantly in return, bowing her head to watch her lap. “Yeah,” Her voice lacked the enthusiasm that she’d intended on putting in it, but she refused the lift her eyes to see her two tablemates.

“We can leave at any time Lucy since we’re both here we don’t have to wait until nine-thirty like we had agreed.” Lisanna proposed delicately, seeming to sense the pits in Lucy’s confidence.

Lucy simply nodded, not wishing to make a further nuisance of herself.

“Have you eaten?”

It was a strange question, of course she’d eaten, not recently, but yes. The night before she’d gorged herself on anything sweet she could find in her pantry that had been presupplied with edibles. The milkshake that Mira had given her as created a hunger for something that held as much sugar as she could handle. She’d gone to bed with a terrible stomach ache and blamed her naive self for a lack of control and understanding. She hadn’t mustered the want for food since officially waking up. But the mention of food made her stomach churn in excitement.

“I’ll take that as a no,” She laughed at the growl that left the blonde’s stomach. She thrust her hand into the air and after a moment of waiting, her sister appeared.

“Good morning, ladies,” She lacked her usual serving tray instead having her hands clasped in front of her.

Levy and Lisanna greeted the barmaid warmly before Lisanna requested something from the kitchen for herself and her partner. Levy decided not to order anything and instead left the table with a kind wave and a wish of good luck for the girls.

Much to Lucy’s surprise, Lisanna didn’t move to the other side of the table, only assuming conversation from an angled position on the same bench. She couldn’t place if she took comfort in the ease with which the Mage beside her trusted her or if it scared her. A wave of disappointment washed over her as she thought about the letter, the relationships that she established would technically all be forged by lies. It wasn’t right. Her appetite disappeared with her realization, but she ate anyway.

A few minutes after they had been served, a strange creature that Lucy didn’t quite understand the anatomy of, landed in the place that Levy had been. He was incredibly cat-like, but also blue, something that confounded Lucy slightly when she’d first saw him. She theorized that he may be a Spirit but dismissed that thought when she prodded absentmindedly at his magic aura with her’s and found nothing familiar about his presence.

He had pitched conversation with the girls and found himself very intrigued by the blonde, growing to like her more by the seconds, and likewise. She found out that his name was Happy, she indulge. He’d asked her plenty of questions, about who she was, where she’d come from, how she got to Fairy Tail, and plenty more.

Throughout the meal, she felt the same hot judgment on the back of her head but refused to acknowledge it. That was until Lianna spoke. “Natsu, would you stop sulking and join us already,”

Her tongue felt suddenly very dry.

 

***

 

Natsu felt himself boiling when Lisanna had told him that she’d invited Lucy on a mission with her. He was by no means her partner, and they had only taken a few jobs together in the last few years, but he couldn’t help but burn with jealousy and anxiety. Not for Lucy, but for Lisanna. He couldn’t place his envious feeling over being told he couldn’t accompany the two girls.

He’d argued up and down that he wouldn’t destroy anything, and the mention of a train only deterred him for a couple sickening moments. He wanted to see what the blonde was made of, metaphorically of course. He wanted to be the one to evaluate her value to the guild. There was no doubt that she was powerful, though the way she carried herself seemed to say anything but.

But he didn’t just want to go to learn that, he worried for Lisanna’s safety as well. Unlike his childhood friend, his trust couldn’t be earned by helpful acts and an unassuming personality. Natsu knew there was something more to her than a thief, he just couldn’t put his finger on it. She’d been well established in their sparring match days earlier, he couldn’t help but expect the worst.

“But Lis, she isn’t nice,” He whined as they approached the guild, she’d been scolding him about his behavior toward her. The grumpy Dragon Slayer grew grumpier the longer they talked about the blonde.

“Hush, Lucy is very nice, and if you give her a chance she will prove it to you.” She corrected, walking into the guild. They stopped and looked around, most of the populace were seated at a variety of booths and the bar. Light conversation lulled around the building, it didn’t take long for the pair, and the flying cat to recognize the back of golden hair.

She sat across from Levy in a booth to the right of the entrance. They were engaged in light conversation, Natsu noted. He was prepared to walk towards her when Lisanna suddenly sat down beside her cheerfully. A strike of outrage had the Dragon Slayer slapping his hand over his eyes, how could she just walk right up to Lucy after the conversation they’d had. He’d used her attack as an arguing chip, but it hadn’t seemed to get him far, that much was apparent.

He took a seat two booths away, giving himself ample space to listen while not being creepy. Or so he thought.

“Are you trying to hear their conversation?” Happy asked around the fish that had miraculously been provided by Mirajane.

“Yes, now shoosh!” He couldn’t concentrate with the sound of his cat smacking his lips next to him. His patience was running thin.

“Why don’t you just go over there?” He seemed much less inclined to bother Lucy than he had when Natsu had first mentioned her. He suspected it was from Lisanna’s scolding, but he didn’t know for sure.

“I can’t go over there,” He huffed in what almost seemed like embarrassment. “I gotta be stealthy, like a ninja,” He whispered consolingly to himself as the cat laughed.

Wings appeared on his friend’s back as he stuffed the rest of the fish in the green stack that was slung over his shoulders. “Whatever you say, Natsu,” He giggled as he flew to the table and landed in front of the pair. Traitor.

Not long passed before Lisanna got fed up of his hissy fit and forced him over to the table. Well, it was more of a request, but she left very little area for argument. He could sense Lucy’s anxiety as he plopped down with a grumbled, “Hey,”

It seemed that he and Lisanna were both waiting for Lucy response as the Take Over Mage made no attempt to greet him. A moment of silence passed before Lucy shifted her gaze to his.

“Good morning,” She said, kindly, but cautiously. She wasn't sure of him, he could relate to that feeling. She put her fork down, the plate that was in front of her lacking a significant amount of food, but an even more significant amount was still left.

“You done, Lucy?” Lisanna asked as she took a bite from her own plate, the blonde nodded her head tentatively, her hands falling into her lap.

Lisanna made movements to summon her sister, but before she could Natsu perked up. “Can I finish that?” He asked, drawing a shocked expression from Lisanna and one laced with curiosity from Lucy.

“Natsu, don’t be so rude!” The first protested, but he could see the smile edging her lips. He was surprised when Lucy made no arguments, simply pushing the plate towards him.

“It’s all yours,” He didn’t need telling twice as he dug the fork she’d been using into the breakfast plate before shoving in a scoop of egg and hashbrown.

Lisanna and Lucy continued conversing, talking about things that Natsu had no mind to pay attention to, though Happy interjected every so often with a witty remark.

“I’m so sorry to interrupt,” Mira said as she collected the morning’s plates. “But don’t you girls have somewhere to be?”

Her sister gasped, erupting a laugh from Natsu which was met with a harsh gaze. “I got sidetracked,” She turned to Lucy, excitement in her sapphire eyes. “Are you ready to go?”

She nodded, grabbing the strap to the backpack Natsu didn’t know she’d had hidden under the table. “Let’s get a move on,” She replied, earning a chuckle from the youngest Take Over Mage.

“Yes, ma’am,”

They said bye to Natsu as they stood, the lightness in the air leaving with them. Natsu noticed their similar outfits, curiosity poked if they had coordinated it or not. He hadn’t realized until they left the doors that the pained feeling Lucy had given him prior to that morning had evaporated. The Dragon Slayer decided that he would blame it on the food she’d given him.

Maybe she wasn’t as bad as he thought. But he wasn’t sold just yet.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again everyone! It's been a stressful week, but thankfully I've had the time to create this chapter. It hadn't gone originally as planned, but I must say that I like what happened to flow from my fingers. With the excitement that I got about Cana last chapter I just had to include her again, there was no way I couldn't.  
> But you guys! We hit over a hundred Kudos! That is insane, you are all simply the best! I know that probs shouldn't be possible, but I like to think of myself as a rule breaker anyway.  
> Now, GummySpectrum, VesselFMT, and Fluentinsaucyness, you three, my friends, need to pat yourselves on the back. Your support is what's really supplying my writing fuel. Thank y'all so much, biggest juiciest peaches of all.  
> Thank you to everyone reading and supporting, I love you all so much. I hope you enjoyed.


	10. Black Developments

The train flew across the tracks, scenery blurring together like a still framed photo taken while falling. There was little to appreciate in the eyes of those who witness it every day, but Lucy wasn’t someone who witness life outside of a dark, white hole every day. Her gaze was glue solidly to the window, absorbing the hundreds of recognizable natural infrastructures.

She’d been seated next to Lisanna, a pleasant, but slightly one-sided conversation had stretched the majority of the trip but had ended when they had officially traveled out of town dwellings. The countryside was barren of people, Lucy noted. Every so often a small cottage could be made out of the near-constant foliage but it was gone as fast as a blink. A smile had crept onto the blonde’s lips at some point as she watched the passing forests.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Lisanna asked, she had leaned forward over Lucy’s shoulder to examine what had captured her partner’s attention so thoroughly.

Lucy nodded, enraptured. Her eyes picked small objects to hold on to as the train trudged along; a bird soaring overhead for only a moment before it was gone, a cone dropping for a tree that vanished with the sill of the window, a shadow that loomed in the treeline. Somehow nothing left the vision of the blonde.

“I’ve never seen it in daylight,” Lucy whispered almost subconsciously. She could make out in her peripherals Lisanna’s lips faltering as she turned towards her.

“You couldn’t have been locked away that long?”

It was another question that Lucy nodded to. She sighed, slouching for the first time since before her memories could recall.

“It was a while, I guess it feels longer than it actually was.” That was a lie. Lucy could recall every excruciating moment. Her memory was burned with each second in the underground, there wasn’t a time that she couldn’t remember. A pit in her stomach burned as she let the lie slip from her tongue. She hated it, but it was necessary. Lying couldn’t make someone a better person, she was sure she heard that from someone once. But placing a name or face to the quote that had grounded her for years was one of the things she found she had trouble with.

She leaned against the seat, resting her head on the top of the mulberry stained leather. The cool material chided against the sliver of exposed skin on her back, comforting her with its alien touch.

Lisanna joined her, her back pressed firmly against the seat. “Oh,” Was the only response to escape her lips.

They sat in companionable silence for the greater part of the rest of the train ride to Hargeon. Every so often Lucy would ask a question pertaining to something in the distance or ask for general information about the town, and Lisanna happily answered her with enthusiasm that resembled her sister. The tense exchange skipping through the girls’ minds.

It didn’t take long for the train to come to a stop, the voice of the conductor blurted the station and town as they rolled to a halt. Lucy abs flipped in excitement and anxiety at the glance that she took out the window, spotting a countless amount of people.

“Come on, Lucy!” Lisanna encouraged with a brief smile before she hopped from her seat and grabbed at the contents in the compartment that was placed above the seats. Swinging her bag over her shoulder before handing Lucy her pack and grabbing the blonde’s hand. “Let’s get off this thing,” She said with a wink.

They filed into the hall of the cart that separated the booths to either side. People poured from their spaces, flooding the aisles and giving the girls little room to move towards an exit. Lucy noted the resemblance of the scenario to that of herded cattle, increasing her attention to the details of everyone.

They were deposited to the boarding platform, people dispersing immediately as they exited. Lisanna stretched her arms high above her head with a yawn, before opening her satchel and rifling through its contents. People bustled by, some seemed to lack the decency to excuse their manners as they hauled heavy luggage over cracks in the pavements and a very near potential for Lucy’s toes. The Celestial Mage scanned the area, noticing the similarities to the station in Magnolia, but the increased number of people that strolled through the station that she found herself in.

Lisanna picked out the request form, her eyes glancing over it and then up at the directional arrows that marked north, south, east, and west. Then folded it and returned it to her bag. With a cheered smile she laced her arm through Lucy’s and began walking them through the platforms.

“You hungry?” Lisanna asked, pulling her attention from her interest in the different kinds of boarding people. “We can get lunch before we meet with our client,” She offered.

The Celestial Mage shook her head gently. “I’m still full from breakfast,” She said, but it lacked something sufficient, the blonde could tell there was something missing from her statement. “Mira’s an incredible cook,” She tested the words.

Lisanna seemed to smile brighter, bounding forward confidently. “Isn’t she?” She laughed as they exited the large canopy that covered the men and women that waited for their way of transport. Sun beamed down on them, a little cooler than it did in Magnolia. Lucy acknowledged the sudden change in the air, it whipped more than she was used to and had a chided salty flavor.

“Okay,” Lisanna said squinting around and then down at the map on a brochure that had been placed conveniently for tourist coming into town. “If we follow the main road for a couple miles and then take a few lefts we should be there within a few hours. You up for a little hiking?” She laughed.

Lucy smiled back. “If that’s what it takes, bring it on.”

 

***

 

Their legs burned tormentously, muscles crying for a rest in the direct heat of the sun. The trek to the job’s location proved to be far more difficult to get to than either had expected. The roads in town hadn’t done much to affect the two girls, but as they began to leave the cobbled streets the incline of the road had gradually built.

The house was in sight of the pair, though they both decided that house didn’t quite cover the vastness of land that the building took up. The _mansion_ was located in a plot of grassy land, surrounded by loose trees whose canopies connected at the girth. The trees grew thicker as they leveled out from the estate. Wildflowers sprung from the earth and waved in the refreshing breeze.

Lucy heaved herself the remainder of the way beside Lisanna, the two were left laughing at each other’s reddened faces and the gleans of sweat that dotted their foreheads. They fixed their clothing, and with a grin, Lisanna knocked on the door, request paper in hand.

After a moment a woman came to the door, her dark hair framed her face as hazel eyes fixed on the girls. A grimace downturned her lips, at the sight of the two Mages.

“Who are you?” She asked more forcefully as she turned it into a demand.

Lisanna smiled sweetly through the woman’s attitude, much to the admiration of Lucy.

“Hello, She greeted. “My name is Lisanna, and this is my partner Lucy, we’re Mages from Fairy Tail responding to a job request that gave us this address.” She told, handing the woman the flyer.

The brunette snatched it irritably from Lisanna’s hands, reading it over and frowning deeper. “Let me see your marks,” Another demand.

Lisanna glanced sidelong at Lucy while turning her hips to display the mark on her thigh. She and her sister had them in the same places. The woman nodded at Lisanna and turned to Lucy expectantly. Her grimace deepening when the blonde looked to Lisanna for help. It was still her “trial period”, she didn’t have her guild mark, and she wasn’t sure if she would even get one.

“Lucy doesn’t have a visible guild mark at the moment, but you have my word that she belongs with me,” Lisanna said apologetically. The woman looked her up and down with a spark of what Lucy pinned to be curiosity or disgust, maybe both.

“I will take your word for it, but only because Fairy Tail Mages are said to be reliable. Count yourselves as lucky.” She opened the door wider, extending her arm for them to enter. “Please, come in,” She invited, though it sounded anything but inviting.

The girls walked in, at once admiring the magnificent woodwork from the built the walls to the massive staircase leading to a rustic second floor. The pair could see hundreds of painting and drawings on the walls, some masterful, others seemed to be the work of a child.

She led them into a sitting room, it had two couches facing one another on either side of a glass coffee table. A tea set on a silver platter sat steaming on perfectly center on the surface, an empty fireplace adorned one wall adjacent to the sitting area while the opposite walls held windows that peered into the front and back yards.

“Take a seat, I will inform the master of your arrival,” She told them, watching them sit before she left the room in a swish rush of fabric, her cream skirt trailing behind her delicately.

“She was a little rude,” Lucy whispered, her eyes dancing around the room.

Lisanna giggled, following Lucy lead as she examined the space. “Yeah, you get to meet a lot of interesting people in what we do, some are nicer than others,” She confessed, then put a finger to her lip and straightened, pretending to be distracted by the scenery outside.

A moment after the woman walked in, hands held over her stomach. “The master wishes to see you in his study, please follow me.”

She seemed much more bearable when she spoke of her employer, Lucy thought as they were led up the stairs and to the right. The theme was notoriously red, the rug was a deep crimson, with gold accents and a gray border. The wood was all stained a cherry, with decorations and ornaments all similar reds. How aesthetic.

They went down the long hall and entered a room on the left, the door was slightly ajar. She announced the two girls and walked out with a warning glare. Lucy swallowed thickly before her eyes landed on the back of a balding head.

White hair pokes from beneath the bald spot that glistened most of his dome, he turned slowly to meet them. The wheelchair he was in jerking the carpet into uneven grooves.

“Good afternoon, girls,” He was much friendlier than the woman that had let them in. His face was wrinkled with old age and experience, a smile allowing Lucy to see the tragedies of his life and the good memories to accompany them. “I will begin by apologizing for Candance, she can be slightly hostile.”

Lisanna chuckled, “It’s no problem,” She jutted her hand out, introducing herself.

Lucy waited until she was finished to step forward, she placed her hand skeptically in front of him. “I’m Lucy, sir,” He grabbed her hand and shook it with purpose.

“You may call me Charles, I’m too old for sirs,” He waved, settling the girls with a gesture to the armchair across from him. “I assume you are here because of the request that I sent to your guild?”

“That’s right, do you mind if we ask some questions about it? It was a little vague.” Lucy asked, earning a stealthy thumbs up from her partner.

“That damn woman,” Charles said shaking his head with a chortle. “I had her design and send the request, I suppose that she put the bare minimum.” He explained sheepishly.

“It had its charms,” Lisanna smoothed, as she handed the paper to the old man. “What exactly is the magical object that we’ll be transporting?”

Charles sighed, giving the form back to Lisanna. “It’s a flute, well, that’s isn’t entirely what it is.” He reprimanded, turning his wheelchair and moving behind his desk where he retrieved a worn book. “It’s what many believe to be a cursed object, but that is incorrect. In actuality, the object contains one of Zeref’s lesser demons,”

Lucy nearly gasped, but her breath caught. Another one of Zeref’s creations. The Eclipse Gate was originally built by the powerful Mage. From what her Assignists had told her, he transfused his dark magic and Celestial magic to create an ultimate portal to the stars, but he hadn’t ever finished it, or in one way or another it deteriorated over the years, allowing their use.

“It’s known as Lullaby, a living spell from the Book of Zeref,” Charles said. Lisanna was ingrained as he explained its consequences and the dangers. “Those that play this flute will inflict a genocide on anyone close enough to hear its song, the only person spared is the Castor. In the wrong hands, it could be very dangerous.”

“In any hands,” The Celestial Mage murmured.

“I think this may be a little out of our pay grade,” Lisanna said after he explained the past the first history, as well as how Zeref modified it into something that could kill anything that listened to its song.

“I am dreadfully sorry that you were unaware of the instability of the flute, but truly it can be of no harm to anyone so long as no one plays it. How’s about this,” He grinned, closing the book that he’d opened to explain further his notes. “I send word to pay you double, and you two can go home with some of Candace's cookies. She’s a lousy conversationalist but the woman can bake!” Charles announced, laughing at the offer.

“I’m not sure,” Lisanna said cautiously, biting her lip. She flicked her gaze over to Lucy. Noting her hazy eyes and dark expression. “What do you think Lucy, can we handle it?”

The blonde straightened immediately, She thought she’d gotten used to her name but apparently, it still got under her skin at times. She took a moment to recover before responding. “I think we can,” She reassured to Lisanna, “Do you have a case for it so we can ensure that it doesn’t somehow get played?” Lucy redirected to Charles.

“But of course, Lucy! There is no need to worry girls, this flute has been in my safekeeping for nearly a generation. The only trouble is that I’m not sure I could protect it in the state that I’m in.” He replied sadly. “That’s why I need you two t take it to the Magic Council outpost in Magnolia, it will be safe and away from anyone who may use it for...nefarious purposes.”

Lisanna and Lucy shared a glance at one another, nodding together. “With a case, it doesn’t sound so bad. We will take a train back tonight and deliver it as soon as we arrive.” The blonde’s partner agreed, reaching over the desk to shake Charles’ hand again.

“It was a pleasure, ladies, come back anytime,” He thanked while ringing a soundless bell. In a matter of moments, Candace was at the door in a deep bow.

“You called, master?” She asked, straightening.

“Always with the ‘master’ talk,” He grumbled, “Can you please escort these ladies to the library and give them the briefcase containing Lullaby on the desk, I suppose I left it in there last I moved. Oh, and get them some of your cookies,”

“Of course, Follow me, ladies.” She ordered, turning swiftly and vanished from the doorway, down the hall. The pair exchanged glances before following timidly.

The library was vast, more books lined the walls than Lucy had ever seen. They were held by oaken shelves and neatly coordinated throughout the hexagonal shaped room. In the center was a sitting area, similar to downstairs, and to the right sat a large desk, covered heavily in disheveled papers.

“This is the one thing in the house that he will not let me clean,” Candace justified, seemingly prideful in the appearance of the place. She groped under the desk until she grabbed a leatherbound case, placing it on the desk. “I believe you will find what you need in here. I will take my leave, your cookies will be prepared for your exit.”

After she left, Lisanna crossed around the desk, fumbling with the locks on either side of the handle until it popped open an inch. “Oh, I don’t like that,” She said as a feeling of dread slipped down Lucy’s spine.

An itch crawled under her skin, and a nauseated thickness filled the air. “What is that?” There was something familiar about it, even through a headache that bloomed in the back of her skull, something deep within Lucy reveled.

“It’s dark magic, the worst of the worst,” She said as she clicked the case closed without looking. “Do you do say if we grab some cookies and book it?” She waited baitedly with an unsure smile on her face.

It took a moment before Lucy processed the request before giggling, sending a glare at her partner with no real malice. “Was that a library pun?”

Lisanna laughed alongside her, grabbing the handle and pulling it from the desk. “I tried my best, okay?”

“To what exactly?” She questioned pointedly, walking parallel from the space.

“Lighten the mood!” Her partner cried. “You looked depressed!”

“I’m depressed now, thanks to that.” They both giggled as they made their way down the stairs.

Candace explained that there would be one or more Magic Council member waiting for them to arrive at the train station, and they would provide their reward for the job. The girls thanked her and were promptly kicked out with a threat against ever returning.

Downhill was far from as bad as the trek uphill had been, the girls found themselves politely greeted with a breeze and chatted mindlessly as they made their way back to town.

“He should really hire new aid,” Lucy thought aloud as they boarded the train. Lisanna hadn’t let go of the case containing Lullaby since they left, she was thankful that she wasn’t the one that held it.

“I am so glad that I’m not the only one,” Lisanna gasped exasperatedly, “She was awful!”

“Dreadfully rude!” Lucy cried from next to her.

The sun had gone down a considerable amount of time from when they’d bought their tickets, the light from the stars providing them sanctuary from the inferno heat of their sun. They'd eaten most of the cookies that had been gifted to them, finding them addictively good. After had gotten dinner, treated by Lisanna who was thanked numerous times by Lucy.

She found herself enjoying being out in the world, the sinking feeling seemed nothing but meanly blatant, and insignificant. She could let go, laugh without retribution. It was relieving, the ability to breath without the fear that someone had done something to her lungs.

As they sat in their cart together Lisanna shared stories of magical adventures that she and her siblings had gone on, how terrifying her sister used to be, how Natsu had found Happy and they had been his pretending partners for the entirety of his hatching phase. Lucy was endeared and failed to notice the shadows that moved along the side of the train with a skeletal skill.

“And then he screamed ‘man!’ and,” Lisanna giggled, covering her mouth with a hand to repress a lip splitting smile. “Jumped off the bridge!” She cried at an octave only achieved through laughter.

Lucy was in near hysterics, her hands threaded in her hair to keep a headache caused by laughter from bounding against her skull. “Is he insane?” She asked after uncontained moments.

“I do think that that could have been when he went crazy,” Her partner reflected before dissolving. “He’s the best big brother a girl could have,” She said with a content smiles.

Lucy mirrored her expression though it didn’t reach her eyes. Her mind wandered to the time before being stolen, the Celestian Experiment took away her life, and she couldn’t recall details from prior. She wondered emptily if she had left siblings behind with her parents or if they were lost from the first moment. Her stomach soured at the thought, but she nodded at her partner.

“I bet he is,” She gave, cringing slightly at the sound of her voice.

A premature stoppage caught the girl’s conversation as Lisanna was about to ask a question. There was little time between when the train began to slow down and when it came to a halted position, sending passengers forward with momentum.

Before either of them could comprehend they were thrown from the train cart. A massive explosion ripped the side of the train fervently. With a cry for each other’s names, the two girls were propelled into the night with a force that neither of them could recognize as natural.

For an agonizing moment, Lucy could feel the burn of a fire, the brutal crush of her shoulder as she flew and crashed into the ground, she could feel the penetrating scars of rocks and debris ripping into her flesh. But then the moment passed, and Lucy dug her fingers into the ground and steadied herself into a crouched position.

The area between the forest line and the train’s tracks was lit ominously. Fire was the name provider, as well as the slotted moon that blinked down at the blonde sorrowfully. The moon always predicted tragedy, Lucy thought. And that night was no different.

Bodies scattered the ground, varying degrees of injury on each. Chaos was quick to erupt as family scrambled for family. The Celestial Mage saw with horror that her car wasn’t the only one to sustain damage, others leading far down the line were careening and sipping fire with delicate precision from the car before it.

“Lucy!”

Her head snapped to the right, a wave of relief replacing the tormented cry for help that wanted to reach from her throat. She scrambled from the ground hastily and ran to her partner.

Lisanna threw her arms around Lucy gently, pulling away only to examine the other for injury, the blonde noticed something that shot trembles down her spine.

“Lisanna, where’s the case?” Her partner's mouth gaped in sudden realization, her eyes flying around the grassland in search of it, eyes scaling queasily over lain people.

“You mean this case?” Came a smooth voice.

The man attached to it was nearly indistinguishable from the shadow that he crawled out of. His body slowly rose, the leather bound case slinking from the ink that dyed the man’s body in shade. He was sly, the two girls could tell, both bodies going rigid with readiness.

The case balanced on one of his outstretched fingers, the smirk that painted his face told Lucy that the train wreck was under his hand.

“Yes, that case,” Lisanna said, her normally sugar sweet voice a little sharper. “May we have it back, please?” She asked, palm open expectantly.

His face cracked into a cocky grin as he dropped the case into the black mass that withered on the ground, vanishing it before he stepped from the pool and approached the partners.

“That won’t be happening, sorry girls,” He replied, his posture condescending to the power that was held in his shoulders. He was mostly concealed by a white coat, his dark hair pulled away from his face.

Lucy’s eyes widened as she watched the woman next to her transform from a pleasant and approachable figure to that resemble a cat. Ears perked from the top of her head, disrupting the already tangled mess of short silver that laid atop it, her body became clad in a less restricting top and bottom. A tail flicked anxiously behind her back.

“I won’t ask again,” She said, baring her clawed hands threateningly.

The air changed as the male sized them, his eyebrow crept upward, amused. “Fairy tail, huh?” It was less of a question and more of a disgusted proclamation. He raised his hand, palm facing the heavens. “The old man left that detail out,” The matted substance that gloated around the Mage’s feet grew, spouts shooting towards Lisanna and Lucy with devilish accuracy.

Lucy launched herself back, propelling herself from her feet to her hands, and flipping over herself into a ready position. Her fingers inched with magic power but the atmosphere turned dark. Before she could move she was caged by twisted shadow columns that drove high before collapsing in on her with a fury that singed her skin and clothing. She cried out in pain as she clutched her defended arms that dripped with blood.

Screams filled the air as the commuters fled the increasingly dangerous scene. Lucy struggled to her feet, becoming instantly aware that this was not a training session, and the man in front of her was not attempting to strengthen her through pain, but put her down. Her ears filled with the sound of her own angry blood.

Lisanna launched herself at him, swiping at the shaped appendages that coursed through the air at her. The blonde absorbed the way that the Shadow Mage swerved from left to right, dodging with a scary lack of difficulty. Her scream caught in her throat as she watched hands strangle through the shadows, clawing at Lisanna’s arms and legs, pinning her down and arresting her to the down.

Lucy stumbled forward.

Lisanna was consumed by the dark puddle, her limbs fighting helplessly to free themselves from under the adumbration. Until she stopped. No arms thrust desperately and no legs kicked with hopeless determination.

The Celestial Mage’s pulse stopped, eyes searching for Lisanna’s form in a blanket of darkness.

An aura settles over the blonde, one that was much darker than the shadows that swallowed her partner. She felt the boil of rage surge through her veins, her clenched jaw worked against the gnashing of her teeth. Her eyes slinked from the place where the Takeover Mage disappeared to the rolling shoulders of her adversary.

“You know, blondie,” He said with a menacing smile. “You’re all pushovers,”

Her dry mouth wouldn’t let her respond as she lifted her hand from her side. The overwhelming fury flooded her senses, coloring her vision a special shade of red. Without a word, masts of golden fragmented light erupted from the ground violently, bathing the bloodied field in a killer’s yellow.

As Lucy looked on at the horror overtaking the face of her opposite, she twirled her fingers into a fist. As if from recognition the pillars crushed downward. Encapsulating her foe in brilliant aureolin. She hushed the light from the Mage, who stood raggedly the crooked smile from earlier tugging into a chewed frown.

He grimaced and shot an attack much faster than the previous at Lucy.

The shadows were met by straight arrows. Sagittarius notched another bolt as Lucy stood beside Virgo, brandishing a whip with deadly rigor. Each shadow was met with a strike, easily dismissed.

Lucy traced her Maid’s form as she thrust her upper body into the misted ground before easily recovering Lisanna. Her opponent yelled furiously, send a barrage of barbed, black projectiles at her Spirit and partner, they were quickly shattered by a wall of stone.

The Celestial Mage flicked her wrist and stripped the Mage of his left sleeve, a harsh reminder of who he was fighting as his face was met with a sharp slash of Fleuve D’etoiles.

Sagittarius and Virgo vanished in a void of sparks, as Lucy connected her wrists. She pulled them apart and smiled victoriously as Gemini appeared in her form, snapping out a whip of their whip.

Lucy twisted her torso, delivering another hit as she heard a terrifyingly quiet cry. Time slowed around her as she turned to see a black arrow sticking from Lisanna’s side. It danced wistfully before evaporating. Lucy could see blood fussing from the wound critically.

“Gemini!” She screamed as she rushed to her partner’s aid, pushing her shaking hands against the wound, terror filling her eyes.

From her peripherals, the blonde could make out the form of herself tackling her opponent before he shrunk into a shadow that sunk into the earth sooner than Gemini could react.

Tears pricked her eyes and Lisanna rolled her head towards her.

“Lucy?” Her voice was strained and soft.

“I’m here Lisanna,” She replied just a silently, afraid a whisper would echo her life away.

“Good,” She smiled, her eyes never opening. “Did we get the case?” Lucy could hear the hopefulness and the pain. It pierced her like a sword.

Lucy bowed her head against Lisanna’s stomach, still working to apply pressure. She could feel Gemini disappear with a comforting warmth before the only heat she could make out was her comrade’s blood.

“No,” She breathed, “We didn’t.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everybody! I'm back!  
> I really, really liked this chapter, but unfortunately, my laptop was brutally murdered with a cup of water... and it vanished. Needless to say, I was a little peeved.  
> But I rewrote it, and thankfully I had a pretty detailed outline to follow. I hope that it is anything as good as the first time I wrote it because it was such a good fluffy chapter. But I hope you enjoyed this one! Even the second time around, it was fun for me to write.  
> Thank you especially to VesselFMT, GummySpectrum, Fluentinsaucyness, Savo144! You guys inspire me so much and keep me writing. You're all so nice, and your comments are kind and encouraging. Thank you, love you guys!  
> Until next time~!


	11. Patience Is A Virtue

He was certain the floor was smoking beneath his pacing feet, the need to protect burned his palms a scorching red. Natsu’s stomach had regained the fiery feeling that it had had before the train ride that took him to the Eastern Hargeon train station, an accident on the Southwestern tracks preventing the easy and hour less travel to the port town. 

Happy had reassured him that the fresh air after getting off the death machine would be refreshing and give him back the fighting spirit that had been stolen from him. But, unfortunately for everyone involved, the salty air rushing by him and his companions faces only reminded him of a mode of transport that was what he was sure was a thousand times worse than a train; a boat. 

The discovery that he had time to sober up through the walk had provided him with the security to swallow the annoying sickness that balled in his throat as he began the trek with his current partners. He understood that there was hell to pay, and the Dragon Slayer knew that he would be more than happy to oblige in dishing out the punishment, no matter how long Titania’s glare held him back. 

“Oi, Pyro, take a chill pill, you’re gonna burn down the hospital,” His partner comment from where he was splayed out in a waiting room chair. 

A snarl exposed Natsu’s teeth in a challenge, “Shut up, Icicle. You lookin’ for a fight?” Natsu’s clenched fists boar the flaming resemblance of a wildfire as he threatened his stripping equal. 

The Fire Mage hadn’t let anyone tell him no when he announced that he was leaving for Hargeon, instead, he just got stuck with two other members that he would have rather been left at the guild than accompany. Natsu knew that he and Happy would have easily been able to manage the measly dark guild that Mira had related to the present guild members but even gone on business, Gramps had insisted. 

“Natsu, I do hope you don’t plan to make an action of your words,” Erza disregarded calmly, though the edge to her voice told Natsu that he better make right his declaration or he would need a swift will rehearsal. 

He shared a glance with Gray before going back to the thing that he was sure was driving him crazy but also the only thing keeping him sane, that being pacing. He couldn’t comprehend how his momentary partners could just sit and wait for the nurse that had gone to check on Lisanna to come back, their patience was something that he didn’t share. 

A victorious grin nearly slid over his lips as he remembered the argument that the lady behind the check-in desk had put up before noticing their guild marks. Though their reputation for destruction usually wasn’t the most productive it helped spur the Negative Nancy that had refused to let he and his partners see their submitted friend, her justification was something that teetered along the lines of “Visiting hours ended yesterday,” In her defense tomorrow had come at a costly price, as a guild members life had been put at risk. 

It took little coaxing after Erza had begun her negotiations. Natsu liked to think he was an integral part of the convincing as he made sure to position himself in just a way that the blazing emblem on his shoulder was on full display. His pride had swelled at the considerable paling the lady had done when her stern eyes connected with the red symbol. She’d been fairly quick to agree soon after. 

But, dammit, if that woman wasn’t taking her sweet time. She left minutes before, allowing the Dragon Slayer to wallow in frustrated accusations. Once he got his hands on that blonde she was gonna wish she’d never stepped a foot in Magnolia. She wasn’t from there, it was written all over the intricate smell that she wore, a flower that didn’t appear in Magnolia painted her skin in perfume in an endearing way that Natsu found incredibly intriguing but irritating moreso. 

When he’d sat listening to Mira’s second handed explanation of what had happened regret bloomed in the back of his eyes, it wasn’t fair, but he blamed Lucy for what happened. Whether or not she truly played a hand in Lisanna’s state didn’t hold much significance to Natsu, he just needed someone to pin the blame on, and until they went after the dumbasses who thought they could make mincemeat of his guildmate, that blame was going on the infuriating blonde. 

“Your friend is prepared for you,” The nurse announced as she waited in the center of the hall leading deeper into the wing where Lisanna was healing. 

He hadn’t even heard her approach but in his agitated nature, he hadn’t been partial to paying attention to the sound of her feet or the way that her heartbeat seemed to stutter when he turned on his heels and began approaching her. 

She muttered a quick “please, follow me,” before whisking herself away at a pace that Natsu was certain was meant to maintain the distance between herself and his team. 

They followed silently, walking briskly through the white halls before stopped a few steps away from the nurse as she stood at a door. She knocked and announced that her company had arrived then nodded to the four Mages. 

“They are ready for you,” She said nothing further as she paced back down the hall they had just gone down. 

Without a beat of hesitation, Natsu took a single stride to the flimsy door and pulled it open.

Lucy was curled in an armchair aimed towards Lisanna from the left side of the room. Her knees were against her chest, bandages wrapping her joints and thighs unevenly. She held a book in her hand, the other holding Lisanna’s as she quit reading at his entrance. Natsu’s eyes snapped from Lucy to his friend angrily. She was laying down, in a partially inclined position on the hospital bed. Her face was slightly scratched and he could see matching bandages to Lucy’s on her arms-though the blonde’s had remnants of rusted blood under the wrap. 

She wore a hospital gown but the way her normally lavender scent mingled with exhaustion and battle let him know that there was something worth concealing underneath the material. 

“Lisanna, are you okay?” He hadn’t moved from the doorway and was met with a blunt kick to the back in encouragement that had him stumbling into the room. 

The silver-haired female giggled, but winced and stopped herself. “Yes, I’m fine, Natsu,” She assured.  

“That’s great to hear,” Gray said as he strode in, his hands buried deep in his pockets and half-naked, his shirt apparently gone between the threshold of the room. 

“Yes, we have all been incredibly worried.” The redheaded Mage cleared as she followed after her team. Happy had flown in between the two and was immediately in Lisanna’s lap. 

He nodded from his position, the concerned frown on his face a strange obscurity to his normally cheerful demeanor. “Yeah, what happened to you?” Happy’s big eyes searched the Take Over Mage before turning to Lucy. “Are you okay, Lucy? You’re arms look hurt,” 

Natsu watched at the blonde shrunk from the sudden eyes on her, his own stare filled with unintentional warning, she didn’t deserve the attention. Lucy only nodded weakly and gave the blue cat an unenthused smile. 

“Ah, so you are Lucy,” Erza said as she stepped forward to introduce herself. “My name is Erza Scarlet,” She made for a handshake as Gray tracked her lead and offered his name and a hand. She shook both of them with a surprising amount of vigor. 

Lisanna looked ready to say something but took in the blackened bags under her partner’s eyes and the yawn that seemed ready to escape her lips and smiled. “I would love to answer questions, but Lucy hasn’t gotten much sleep and I think she needs a little rest.” Lisanna’s sweetness left a bitter knot in Natsu’s stomach. She shouldn’t be so nice to someone that had gotten her hurt this bad. 

“Yeah, so scram, blondie.” He ordered gruffly. The shocked faces around his did little to deter from the flash of anger that danced like fire in Lucy’s eyes. He nearly smirked. 

“Natsu, what are you-” Erza was cut off as Lucy stood, legs shaking from fatigue. He could see Lisanna’s eyes filled with worry as she was trained on the girl. 

Lucy smiled, but the corners of her eyes gave her away, the lack of a wrinkle hinting to Natsu that it wasn’t real. “If you’ll excuse me,” She requested to the pair standing at the foot of her partner’s bed, they seemed to shake themselves from bewilderment and moved from her way. “It’ll leave you all to it,” She walked by the bed frame and strode to the doorway. 

She stood still for a moment, her shoulders downcast slightly. “It was a pleasure to meet you, Erza, Gray,” She regarded them between pauses, treating each of them with designated respect before pushing the door open and exiting. 

The door had barely shut before his head was in collision with an armored fist. “That was unacceptable behavior,” The redhead denounced as the Dragon Slayer’s body crumbled against the bed frame railing. 

“Yeah, what the hell, Ash Breath?” Gray chided in with a disapproving lilt to his voice. 

His eyes peeled over to Lisanna, hoping to escape judgment but were met with a deep-seated wrinkle between her brows. The corner of her lips were dragged downward in a very uncharacteristic frown. She opened her mouth but closed it after a moment and shook her head like she hadn’t interpreted what he said correctly. 

“Natsu,” He was dragged from the sudden unsure feeling that caged his chest. “You will explain your attitude immediately,” The flat of Erza’s voice was more intimidating then if she had begun yelling at him on the spot. Her gaze tore holes in the cocky confidence that he’d had moments prior. 

He hadn’t read the room like he normally would have. It became a habit when he’d started taking on serious jobs, it wasn’t something he did so much at the guild, but when entering a client’s abode he’d, almost subconsciously, scan the area and chose how to react. He probably should have kept his mouth shut upon revisiting the scene between Lisanna and Lucy before his entrance. 

He gulped, leaning limply on the metal bars that made up his comrade’s bed, the cold bittersweet against his skin. “I don’t trust her,” He said, it was a perfect reason to him, but he could tell the disapproval swelling again in the room. 

Happy shuffled on the Tave Over Mage’s lap, drawing his attention. “You didn’t have to be so mean though, Natsu,” 

The ping of betrayal grew to a ringing bell in his ears as he eyed his cat with a gaped expression. He readied himself a reply but stopped at the sudden waft of saltwater that purged his senses. 

Natsu’s eyes flew to Lisanna, her teeth sunk into her lower lip in a painful display to keep the tears in, but her facade broke when she sniffed and choked out a laugh. “That’s not fair to Lucy at all, Natsu,” She didn’t scold him, her voice held a sadness that made him think he’d missed something major. 

He could imagine the cogs spinning in her head as she steeled herself with a breath. The sense of Erza and Gray’s silence held the air with an indignant force that Natsu would wish away if he could. 

“Lisanna, I didn’t mea-” His attempts were thwarted before he could express his full regret to his childhood friend. 

“You don’t understand what Lucy went through to protect me,” She said slowly, guilt already creeping into the rosy-haired Mage’s stomach. “The man that attacked us was well stronger than what I thought either of us could handle. I normally don’t underestimate people but I suppose Lucy is a rare exception.” She confessed, red-rimmed eyes searching for something to house her concentration as she thought through her words. 

“The way she acts doesn’t quite say ‘I’ll do anything to protect you’ now does it?” She chuckled at herself, holding her side with the same pained expression as earlier. “But she’s a lot stronger than she seems, I don’t know what would have happened if Lucy hadn’t taken that job with me, but I can guarantee it would be worse than what happened.” 

She looked back to Natsu, the pout that played on his face downcast shadows.

“How many times have I told you that kindness is always the right choice?” Her head leaned to one side to see him better. 

“I second that,” The Requip Mage attuned with a hand raised as a sign of agreement. Which Natsu almost snorted at, stopping just before realizing what that would do to his future children. Or lack thereof. 

“Come on, give her a chance, Natsu,” Happy whispered, his head was hung cautiously. 

Gray had made himself comfortable in a chair that was next to the one that Lucy had been in when they arrived. His arms were crossed over his bare chest. “What’d she do to deserve that kinda reaction anyway?” He inquired boredly. 

Erza mumbled a dangerous, “Indecent...” Which Gray took as a warning and searched to retrieve his clothing. 

“It doesn’t matter,” Lisanna waved the question away. She was still visibly upset but looked further put together than mere moments before. “I think you should apologize,” She said quietly, laying her hand delicately on Happy’s head. 

His mouth opened to argue but was promptly stopped with a sigh, “Aye, sir.”

“I think that’s an excellent idea,” 

The shameful pout that surged his lip outward was admittedly unmanly, but only slightly damaged his masculine pride. He returned to his feet, keeping his glare from Gray, who he could feel smirking. Oh, there was hell to pay and the Ice Mage had a pretty heavy wallet, Natsu decided. 

“Don’t come back until you two are friends!” Lisanna said as he sulked from the room, the only indication that he’d heard her was a dispassionate salute from the back. 

The door closed behind him with a small rush of air, the blinds had been drawn to the window leading into the room thankfully. He would prefer for them not to see the scowl that made its way onto his face. 

Lucy had protected Lisanna? He knew his friend wasn’t as strong and confident as she used to be, not after the accident but he’d assumed she could handle herself. Though who was he to judge, it was obvious that his assumption lately hadn’t been in the right. 

Natsu huffed a breath from his nose as he looked down either side of the hall. “Now, how am I supposed to find…” His disinterest was shrouded by the slight scent of lilac and fruity flowers, the faintest of spice rippled calmly. She’d gone left of the door, farther into the hospital. Strange. Maybe she had a room? In the condition that she looked to be in he couldn’t say for sure whether or not her injuries reserved her an over night’s private stay. 

He continued down the white-walled tunnel, surprised to find himself at an exit door after a few turns and closed doors. Her scent was stronger the closer that he seemed to get to the exit, so without the moment of hesitation that he wished he could have, he went outside. 

 

***

 

She’d kept her tempter, of that, Lucy was surprised. After leaving the room it became wholly apparent to her that there was steam that needed to be blown off. In the Underground she was never given a day to let feelings fester, she had a release daily. There was not a single thing that she missed from the horrible experience that was the last decade, but if there was any good thing that came out of it, it was the physical combat. 

She knew how to defend herself, maybe not as well as she’d once thought after her run-in with the Shadow Mage, but she was decently powerful. As well as being fit, there wasn’t a chance to not be healthy, physically that it. Then again, she was never given the opportunity for her mind to grow unhealthy habits in thought, as she was nearly always occupied. 

The white walls of the hospital were eerily similar to the system of the tunnels that lead throughout the underneath of the Flower Light Palace. She hadn’t left Lisanna side for more than a few moments while they examined her and patched the dark wounds on her forearms, but her heart yearned to bolt. It was all so retaining, and the cage that felt like it was slowly descending onto her was something that she was sure her mind was making up, but it didn’t change the fear that the resurfaced memories of The Abyss Palace brought onto her. 

Lucy knew that the nurses were simply doing their job, trying to help her, but it was suffocating. Her injuries were nothing of mention, she’d had much, much worse. 

Her feet stopped at the edge of the mud bank leading to the stream that ran a couple hundred yards from the exit of the hospital. Lucy wanted to play nice, Natsu’s behavior didn’t scream fair but she was no one to decide that. It wasn’t hard for her to respond the way she had, something in her told her that it was best if she played the ‘kill them with kindness’ game. It wasn’t a game she was familiar with by any means, but Lisanna’s cheerful demeanor when dealing with Candace had sparked an interest. There wasn’t room for kindness where she was from, but this was a different world. 

Without thinking she waded into the running pool of water. It was thickest where she glided in, finding the bank silt a comforting surface. She blinked at the stars, who returned her wandering gaze. The anger that boiled under her skin dissipated as she thought. 

Had it really been her fault that Lisanna had gotten hurt? Surely the Take Over Mage didn’t think so, she was too kind to blame her like that. But Natsu had pinpointed her slight injuries against her. Lucy was not one to run away from a fight, she never had been because she hadn’t been allowed to. But the blonde couldn’t shake the dreadful feeling that the fault remained on her. 

“Maybe if I hadn’t shown up, Lisanna wouldn’t have taken the job?” She mused to no one in particular. Her eyes floating from constellation to constellation. She didn’t recognize too many of them, the determination to learn their names sprouting in her stomach. 

She clutched her arms around her middle as a particularly cold breeze swept by her, wincing at the pain that radiating from her elbows to her wrists. Her mind traced the movements of her muscle memory as she willed herself back to the fight. It had hurt in the moment, but the lingering irritation was inconceivable and annoying. 

It was his fault. 

The Shadow Mage. He was the one that ruined everything. Nothing would have gone wrong if not for him. The blonde hardened her eyes as she stared down at her hands. Her fingers smooth, but lead to calloused palms. They clenched unceremoniously, riding pain up her arms. 

A small flash of angst flushed her cheeks, which puffed out in frustrated thought. 

Her fingers grazed the surface of the stream, the image of Lisanna in her bed filling her mind as she sang her spirit’s name into being. 

Without a moment’s hesitation the form of Aquarius rose from the water, a scowl eminent on her face, her voice filled in disdain. “What do you want, brat?” She spat, her urn delicately perched between her hip and open palm. Her tail flicked impatiently above the surface of the water. 

The mermaid’s frown deepened as her Summoner leaned forward with a sigh, hair shielding her face. The moment of righteous anger fleeting from her as her Spirit eyed her in aggravation. 

“I don’t have all day Lucy, you better not have summoned me for pointless play again.” The threat was evident in her words, drawing another breath from the blonde unstably. 

After a stretched moment of impatient silence, Lucy lifted her head. “What should I do?” She inquired. 

“I can’t read minds, idiot, give me more to go off of.” 

Another quiet passed them before Aquarius hissed. “You better not be talking about that Dark Mage. You know damn well what you should be doing about that.” 

Lucy rolled her eyes aggressively, balling her fists until her knuckles were white. “I am talking about that! I can’t sit around here waiting for other people to take care of what is obviously my fault!” She bit her lip rawly. “I can’t wait for people to fix my problems,” She relented. 

Aquarius nearly snarled at her pathetic act, arms coming to cross over her chest as her urn disappeared with a ball of gold sparks. “You’re pitiful.” The mermaid spit, “You’re willing to put yourself into more danger and ruin the chance that you’ve been given because you have no sense of teamwork?” She scoffed into Lucy’s face, it was obvious that she didn’t blame Lucy. But the blonde was prepared for a speech. 

“Do you really expect me to sit here and lecture you about getting yourself killed by fighting someone that you couldn’t beat the first time, that is going to be surrounded by other ready to bite your head off? Wake up, Lucy! You’re not the hero here!” Water trembled under the mermaid as she spoke.

“Perhaps you forgot, but your freedom isn’t just your’s, as your Spirits, where you go we do. I’m sure you haven’t forgotten the hell you went through, and this small slice of freedom that they gave you does not belong to you. We deserve it as much as you, don’t do something that you will regret later because you’re angry. If you go off and play the warrior card you better think through the consequences first.” 

The Water Bearer’s words cut through the blonde, the liquid running by her legs piercing in a way that she was sure no one could find comfort in. Regret pulling the strings to her heart. 

“Aquarius, I’m so-”

“Don’t apologize, brat.” She carved, angrily. 

“I know you want to do everything yourself, but take a little responsibility for the people surrounding you. You aren’t alone, and you seem to think you are. Don’t pretend like you’re the only one that has the ability to do anything about that stupid dark guild, you’re new to this, this isn’t your world. Your world is white walls and constant torture.” She threw, her scowl deepening as she turned from the blonde. “Show that dumb guild of your’s what the hell that can do.” 

“Aquarius, they don’t trust me!” Lucy yelled as she threw her arms to either side. 

“Well then make them trust you! Fuck, Lucy!” She returned just as loud, the stream frantically dancing to the wave of anger that radiated from the mermaid. “How dumb are you? You can’t really think that you deserve anything from them, right?”

“Of course not! The only reason that I haven’t bolted is for you!” She hadn’t thought about her reason to actively participate in becoming a guild member, but she realized all at once that her Spirits was what prevented her from leaving. They’d earned so much more than she could give them. 

“Then prove it and ignore that dark little urge to rip the head off the dumbass that thought he could cross you.” She spat. “For Spirit King’s sake, I know you could if you wanted to.”

The Celestial Mage wasn’t sure if she was kidding but laughed anyway, though it missed the mirth that brought real happiness. 

“Now I know the blonde hair isn’t just for show.” She seemed to cement into herself with ground teeth. 

In a cascade of gold-glittered water, she was gone, her body smothered by seafoam and gold, leaving Lucy to the cold biting at her ankles. 

She stood unmoving in the water for what rolled like hours, her toes bitter as the stream rushed around them. In an instant she turned around and stepped from the stream, walking back into the tree line without another word. 

 

***

 

Gold flitted around Lucy as she stood in the water. 

Natsu’s mouth stood open as he watched her encounter with the woman that had appeared out of  _ literally nowhere _ . He’d had no idea what kind of magic she used until she said something about her “Spirits”. 

What were her Spirits though? He couldn’t pin them, the mermaid, Aquarius as he’d heard Lucy refer to her, smelled incredibly ethereal, with the identifying breeze of ocean water, which he’d found funny.

But there was also something familiar about the scent of her heavenly-ness, something that he’d swear on. He had to have smelled them before. Though that hadn’t been the most shocking part to the sudden developments. 

With the knowledge of her Spirit’s name, he could pin what Lucy was capable of. 

“She can summon the Golden Gates,” He whispered breathlessly to himself, nodding with a perpetual expression on his scrunched lips. 

That was impossible. It has to be a nickname. 

Lucy could never summon a Forgotten Key, that much was absurd. The Golden Gates had been dark for four hundred years. 

Even through his certainty, the Dragon Slayer watched as Lucy was railed by the water-woman. “No wonder she didn’t react to my bitchiness,” He observed has the Spirit’s expression morphed into one that wanted to deck the Summoner. 

He walked closer, curiosity bringing his feet nearer to the pair in the narrow river. A particular profanity caught his attention as he leaned against a tree, shutting his eyes to concentrate on their conversation. Privacy be damned. 

The mermaid yelled just as he tuned in to what was being said, producing a wince from Natsu. “How dumb are you? You can’t really think that you deserve anything from them, right?” Natsu quirked his head to the side, questioningly. 

“Of course not! The only reason that I haven’t bolted is for you!”

Ah, so Fairy Tail then, the pinkette nodded. Barely processing what was being said over his own answered query. 

“Then prove it and ignore that dark little urge to rip the head off the dumbass that thought he could cross you. For Spirit King’s sake, I know you could if you wanted to.”

A Spirit, most definitely. What kind of Spirit, was debatable. But what was more important was Lucy. She was hiding her strength. By the way the mermaid spoke, the blonde was powerful, enough so that she didn’t have to worry about herself or her Spirits.

Then she laughed. Natsu’s eyes snapped open to the sound, brows furrowing. It almost didn’t seem real. It was different than the way she laughed at the guild before, he hadn’t thought anything of it when she had but as she laughed at the comment her Spirit made his chest closed. 

The beat of his heart stopped only for a moment as she sighed her relief after. He couldn’t name the satisfaction that curled in his gut at the sound of her giggle, it was strangely relaxing to hear the blonde lack the slight closed off attitude that she kept with everyone at the guild. 

Aquarius made a comment about Lucy’s hair before she was gone, not a single sign of the Spirit remained, save for her Summoner who stood in the water. She was still, allowing Natsu to rake his gaze over her. 

She dressed similarly to Lisanna, though most girls did, the Take Over Mage was rather stylish. He could make out the bruises and scrapes from where he stood concealed by a tree. She stood in the stream for a few more minutes than Natsu saw as necessary, but something in him wouldn’t allow him to step into the moonlight as he watched the Mage. 

Maybe it was the glow of her skin against the dark of the water, or her hair that cascaded like molten gold that stopped him, but the Dragon Slayer found himself immobile beyond any of his attempts. 

Then she turned and marched onto the mud shore, the sound of her wet boots pulling him from his fascination. He hadn’t noticed the vanish of the frustration that he’d had earlier, almost forgetting that he had stalked into the forest to find her because of his ass-ish actions. 

His tongue worked against him as he went to call out her name. It caught in his throat as she passed from the moonlit stream to the shadow of the treeline. 

There was something dark about her, a presence that loomed from her, but more importantly, Lucy was smiling. Really smiling. And it was something that Natsu decided he wanted to see a million times more, simply because of the determination that swelled her pupils. 

A snap of a twig under the Dragon Slayer’s foot brought her image crashing from confidence to concealed magic, she straightened and stopped. Looking ready to lash out at his direction as a whip materialized with glittering light in her hand. 

Calling on an easy grin, Natsu raised his hands while taking a step toward the blonde. “Careful, Feisty,” He joked. 

She immediately backed off with an arm rounding her waist to grip her other, her head bowed. “Sorry, you scared me.” 

“No worries, probably shoulda said something,” He reasoned, but the look of confusion on her face told him he hadn’t done a great job at explaining himself. “To announce myself, I mean.”

After a moment of recognition, she nodded once. “Yeah, that would have been helpful.”

Natsu almost laughed, but he didn’t remember when his sour tude had disappeared but the almost natural way that the tension in his shoulders left stopped him. He shook his head before turning back to Lucy. 

“Look,” He didn’t want to apologize, as much as his brain told him that it was the right thing to do. But deflecting from Erza’s wrath by a simple sorry would be better than taking a beating. “I’ve kinda been an asshole to you,” His hand found its way behind his neck, threading into the hair that laid at the base. 

She shifted curiously, raising an eyebrow at him. “So, this isn’t how you normally act?” 

The question threw him off, he was ready to rattle his apology but he held his tongue. He blinked a few times, processing. “You could say that.” 

She chewed on his response, surprising him as she took a step towards the hospital while she thought. “Can’t say I’m enjoying the special treatment,”

He cringed from behind her, “That’s one way to call it,” He watched where she’d put her feet to follow as she trekked back. He wanted to just push out his atonement, apologize to her back and move on, but something told him that making amends with her back would do little to fix a cripple. 

“Hey, can you slow down for a second?” 

She halted in her path and looked towards him, hands finding their way to her back pockets. She didn’t say anything but her expression, nearly unreadable in the darkened forest, urged him on. 

“I’m not very good at this, just a heads up,” It was an apology in itself, leading into his real vindication. “I haven’t been treating you right, and I’m sorry about it.” It was awkward, slipping from his tongue with a hesitance. 

She said nothing, but Natsu could tell that she was thinking. “Is that why you’re here?” 

“Yeah,” 

“Can I ask you something?” She started walking again, the water in her boots squelching with each step. 

“I don’t see why not.” He fell into step with her, watching the way her ponytail swung against her at every walk. It took a moment for him to recognize the blood that stuck to the tips of her locks. 

“You treat me different than others, correct?” 

He felt challenged by something in her voice and the way she turned her head slightly to show her attention was on him. 

“I guess so,” He returned slowly, cautiously. 

She hummed, weaving between trees expertly. “Why?” 

Natsu had a feeling that she knew the reason why, it was pretty apparent, but he gave a huff from his nose. “Well your first impressions could use work,” He smirked. 

She whipped around faster than he thought she’d be able to, sending him back an alarmed step as she put an accusatory finger in his vision. “That wasn’t totally my fault!” She pointed, a pout dominating her face. 

“Sure it was, you attacked me first,” He shrugged, gliding around her reasoning. 

Her mouth gaped, tongue sliding along her inner cheek to keep from biting it in anger. “And you’re going to take no responsibility for chasing me through Magnolia?” She replied defiantly, he could almost hear her arms cross over her chest in frustration. 

Natsu barely contained a snort. “Nope, that one’s on you too, if yah hadn’t of bolted I wouldn’t have run after you.”

The gleam in her eye dissipated, weighing his words. “I suppose that’s true,” 

The Dragon Slayer blinked a few times at that, surprise capturing his features. He wouldn’t have pegged her one to admit her own mistakes, she’d seemed to defiant, almost prideful when they’d shown up back at the guild and she was there. 

They walked back to the entrance that they’d left from in relative silence, finding it locked. Without a second thought, Lucy went to the front entrance, guiding Natsu through the hospital. When they reached the bitchy nurse from before, she simply got a nod and proceeded to Lisanna’s room, but he didn’t pass without a glare from the woman. 

As they approached Natsu grabbed Lucy’s hand, stopping her. She assigned a quizzical look to him before he sheepishly recoiled. 

“You need something?” She asked in assessment, a single blonde eyebrow quirked. 

“You never accepted it,” He hadn’t forgotten the way she danced around his sorry. 

Her eyes followed his grip to his face and then back, removing her fingers from his almost too slowly. “Your apology you mean?” He nodded. “I accept your apology, but only if you accept mine.” 

Natsu’s mouth opened to reply but she cut him off. “I don’t think either of us have been treating each other how we should,” She confirmed through her bangs, her head resting low. “And I’m sorry that I attacked you when we first met.” Her arms laced protectively over her front, the shyness that Natsu was becoming accustomed to surfacing again. 

With a grin that was teetering on smug, he shoved his hand in front of her. “Truce?”

The Fire Mage watched his counterpart examined his hand, curiosity in her eyes. She hesitantly placed her own against his palm. “Truce,” She said as she gave a firm shake. 

“Well, now that that’s taken care of,” Natsu announced as he aimed himself at the door ready to open it was gusto but was cut short as the hatch flew open. 

Erza struggled against Gray as she forced herself through the portalway, the Ice Mage’s arms wrapped around her waist while she pulled against the frame. 

Natsu could make out the whispered threat, “How dare he…” As he watched the Popsicle try, and fail, to retrain the redheaded fury. 

“Erza please, it’s alright!” Lisanna called from her place on the bed, edged forward from her attempt to stop her comrade. 

“Do not fret, I’ll have this taken care of,” Erza fumed darkly. 

Natsu watched with disclination to involve himself, a laugh bubbling into his throat at the sight of Lucy keen away. 

Before he could respond, Erza’s fist connected with his head, crumpling him once again to her feet. The faint sound of Lucy gasping and Gray snickering brought him back to consciousness fairly quickly. 

“What the hell, Erza?” He groaned, holding his crown as Happy landed lightly on his chest. 

“No time for complaints Natsu, we have meat to slaughter,” She replied, the sickly smile on her face an obligation for the Dragon Slayer to roll from her path. 

The Ice Mage groaned, slapping a hand against his face despite his best efforts. “Erza, that’s not-”

“Quiet, Gray!” She snapped in return, earning him a pained, but vengeful smirk from the Fire Mage that peeled himself from the floor. 

“Please, Erza!”

It took Natsu a moment to realize the two girls that were standing in the doorway. Lisanna leaned heavily against Lucy, who supported her with semi-ease. 

“You shouldn’t be out of bed,” Lucy urged, adjusting her grip to maintain an upright position. 

Lisanna smiled at the blonde as she answered. “I’ll be okay,” She added a wink before attempting to straighten with little result. 

They had garnered Erza’s attention as she hurried to Lisanna’s other side to assist her back into her room. “Really, you guys, you can’t do anything about it right now,” She directed to Erza and Gray. 

The Requip mage steadied her friend before replying hotly. “We can’t just let them get away with it.”  

Natsu gathered what he could through context as he entered the room, gaining the rest from what Happy filled in. “Erza’s right, there’s no way I’m going home empty handed.” As if on cue his hand ignited, the energy he’d been holding needing to be released. 

“We don’t even know where their guild is,” Gray interjected, collapsing back into his seat, the fight to keep Erza contained enough for a nap. 

Happy nodded, gesturing to the Ice Mage. “Exactly, we don’t even know where to start.” 

“Actually,” Lucy spoke from her space alongside the Take Over Mage. “I know where the guild is,” All eyes were on her in a matter of seconds. A slew of questions were directed at the blonde, who shrunk back slightly. 

“And how do you know this?” Erza interrupts above the others, narrowing her gaze. Suspicion raising the hairs on her neck. 

Before Natsu could even make out a movement a puff of smoke and the same golden sparks from early rained the air. An identical image of Lucy appeared from the cloud, the second Lucy’s eyes black masses with stark pupils for a moment before she blinked and they transformed into the blonde’s deep honey. She smiled at the Summoner and waved a greeting. 

“Hello, Lucy,” Her voice was eerily identical. A chill swept down Natsu’s spine, he spied similar reactions from everyone in the room excluding Lisanna. 

“Gemini, I see you’re well rested and feeling better,” She spoke so confidently, like nothing the Fire Mage had heard from her before. 

Then the smoke puffed again, and two being inhabited the spot that the second Lucy had been. They were small and blue, some kind of mirror image of one another, only slight differences made them distinguishable. 

“You have friends, Lucy,” They pointed out in unison, another creeping feeling left Natsu intrigued. Their heads turned around without their bodies, though their arms continued in the little dance they did. 

Lucy giggling, not the slightest bit put off by their behavior. “Yes, Gemi, Mini, this is Natsu, Happy, Gray, and Erza,” She introduced, their attention back on her. They floated up and down, and the air felt lighter for a reason Natsu couldn’t place. 

“Would you two do me a favor?” They nodded together, eagerly. “Turn back into the man from last night.”

Without needing to be asked again the room was taken over by the smoke, and the figure that appeared from it was not one that the other Mages recognized, but Natsu caught the slight wince and Lisanna gave when she saw the man. 

He black hair was pulled back greasily, the coat that he sported added to the douche-bag aesthetic that he was proud of all the way to his sneer of a smile. 

“Report,” Lucy encouraged as the man looked at the others in the room. 

“Kayegama, age 23, Shadow Mage, member of the unofficial dark guild Eisenwald, located in Oshibana Town.” The Mage’s voice was monotone as he explained. 

“What kind of magic is this?” Erza asked as she eyed the Spirit, giving Natsu the urge to tell her to back off but he caught himself before he could sign his death wish. 

“Celestial Spirit Magic.” She replied with less of her courage from before. “I have the ability to contact any Spirit that I am contracted with. As for Gemini, they can turn into anyone they come in physical connection with,” Her explanation had Gray and Erza’s eyes blown wide, while Natsu listened with sweaty palms. That really shouldn’t be possible.

“Though, if they attempt to transform into someone that is beyond my capabilities they will usually come out muddled versions of the person, sometimes dismembered or weaken.” She said, resuming her invisibility act.

“That’s incredible.” Happy muttered, his already large eyes, full of wonder. 

“Thank you,” Gemini acknowledged, “I am virtually an exact replica of the wizard Kageyama.”

“They have his memories, they can feel what he feels, and even read his thoughts if they are close enough to him.” Lisanna boasted brightly to her guildmates. Natsu could tell that she was trying to ignore the blatantly obvious fact that diluted Lucy’s entire story. 

He now knew that the Spirit she’d summoned earlier had been one of the Zodiac Spirits, the likability that she would have a Spirit as powerful as Gemini and not other Golden Gates was almost as impossible as her wielding the Zodiac, to begin with. But the question needed to be asked, how?

“Why don’t you tell us what you can then,” Erza stopped for a moment, breathing out a slight breath of skepticism. “Gemini,”

The sun rose on the group as Gemini finished their speech, every detail they could muster pushed from the deep to the surface. Natsu watched as Lucy slowly progressed from comfortable to expending herself, it seemed as though the longer she held their Gate open the more magic it absorbed. 

An unreadable amount of time passed before the blonde lost consciousness, causing the closure of her Spirit’s Door, who said a quick goodbye, ensured the Summoner would be alright and left with a ball of smoke. 

The five sat in silence as Gray placed Lucy’s sleeping body into her original armchair. 

“It shouldn’t be possible,” Erza said as she watched the blonde’s breathing, placing a blanket over the girl. “The Golden Gates have been closed for four centuries,”

“I couldn’t believe it when she’d first summoned Gemini, I thought it was a dream,” Lisanna whispered, petting Happy. 

Gray ran a hand through his hair, his pants mysteriously gone. “Well, it’s not like we just watched her pull out a Zodiac right in front of us,”

“You think Gramps knows?” Natsu asked as she shifted his head towards Lisanna over the railing of the bed. 

Her eyelids fluttering closed in exhaustion. “I’m not sure, it’s possible.” 

“Whether or not, we inform him of this new development immediately.” The Requip Mage decided, standing. She looked between the two other mages that came with her and strided to the door. “We will leave for Oshibana at noon, come, boys, we will return to our hotel to rest until then. And Natsu, grab Lucy, she will share the room with me.” Erza assigned as she left. 

Lisanna offered him the blonde’s bag as she fixed her position to one he could easily lift. He placed it in between the cease of his elbow and hoisted her onto his back with little help from the blue cat. He huffed at her weight, expecting less from her trimmed figure, but respectively realized the form she maintained had to be muscle. 

Natsu nodded to the door as she shifted Lucy. “Come on, Brain Freeze, I gotta pee,” 

“You just don’t get classier,” Gray returned, shaking his head. 

With a smirk, Natsu shot a look over his shoulder. “Don’t need class to kick your frozen butt,”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone!   
> Let's begin this by saying, this took a hot, hot minute. It's almost twice as long as the longest chapter that I've written, and there were many places that I could have stopped it, but I didn't want it split up. Just editing this was a nightmare, I'm super sorry if there were any mistakes, there probably was.   
> I had a pretty good schedule going for a while, but as the chapters get longer I think the amount of time it takes to update will increase as well.   
> But enough with the excuses! Thank you so, so, so, so much to GummySpectrum, you are always so nice and really prompt me to think about this story. ThisIsLightful, you are too kind and I'm glad you're enjoying the story, thank you! And as always, VesselFMT, you are a fanatic about this story and I don't know why. Hopefully, this chapter won't make you ball like last one. Love you!  
> Thank you guys for the continued support, it's starting to sound repetitive I think, but I don't care. Your guys' enthusiasm means the world!   
> Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter, next one will be gettin' heavy. I can't wait.


	12. A Shadow Cast In Light

Natsu weaved to the left as another annoying shadow shot unevenly at his chest. He was getting real sick of the guy in front of him, pretty pretentious for how easy the Dragon Slayer magic that Natsu wielded contradicted his own. And yet, he continued throwing taunts to the rose-haired male as though it bruised his ego enough to disable his fighting spirit.

And he was getting so bored, the Eisenwald guild had been more of a joke than any of them had thought. Apparently, Kageyama’s magic was far stronger at night, and by the way Lisanna and Lucy spoke of him he was meant to be an obstacle. But Natsu decided he was merely mildly frustrating and was slowly realizing the fight that he was itching for was not going to be found in the guy in front of him.

“You’re starting to get on my nerves,” He snarled, weaving left then right to avoid damage.

“I think that’s kinda the point buddy,”

Oh, he was a dead man.

 

***

 

As they walked down the unestablished path Lucy tried not to focus on the hiss of impatience she felt pooling in her abdomen. The train ride had been silent and uneventful for the Spirit Mage, mostly due to the fact that she’d slept a majority of the time. But the excitement that seeped into her blood was quickly making her restless.

With Erza’s instruction, Natsu and Gray had gone after a specific legion from Eisenwald that had set out to utilize Lullaby in Clover Town, leaving the two females to themselves. Silence had stretched between the pair before Erza had cracked.

“You use Celestial Magic then?”

It had been random and caught Lucy off guard. She didn’t welcome the conversation, but the rebuttal against the long quiet was appreciated.

They remained in closed lip interaction, occasionally speaking questions and answers to one another before the Requip Mage announced their approach.

“We’re close,” She whispered as she ducked behind a tree in the scarcely thick brush.

They had trudged for a few hours, finding themselves traveling through a slightly dense area that rode for miles. As if on a schedule, Erza asked to check direction with the clone of Kageyama, whom was promptly summoned and informed on changes that needed to be made or encouragement. It had left Lucy with a light headache, but nothing more than a drip from her magic pool was spilled.

“I don’t see anything,” Lucy said, bending behind a slucked tree whose branches seemed ready to swallow her whole if it had living mobility. Her eyes scanned where Erza had positioned them, looking for the guild that was rumored to be near.

The blonde didn’t notice the furrowed brows she received to her statement, merely catching the shake of red hair from the corner of her peripherals.

“I do not see them,” Erza said, pointing to their northwest at Lucy confused expression. “I can sense a congregation of magic in that area,” She explained, concealing the remote distraction from her mission. Questions swirled around Erza’s tongue, longing to be let loose as she glanced at her blonde companion. She could make out the large audience of Mages in one particular place from a mile back, though it had been a fuzzy location.

But the thing that fed into her bewilderment was the lack of knowledge that appeared in Lucy’s eyes as she attempted to interpret her reasoning. Erza had pinned her as a capable Mage, from the difference in injury between her and Lisanna she assumed that she could manage herself but there seemed to be things that Lucy lacked in.

“Never the mind,” She dismissed, filing it away for a later date. “Do you have any suggestions for how to approach this?”

Lucy had spent very little time with Erza, and she knew very little of the way she operated but she knew that the Requip Mage already had something in mind. By the way that Lisanna regarded her, she was convinced that Erza simply asked to be polite.

“I hadn’t actually put any thought into it,” She replied.

Erza’s eyes lit, followed by a glowing smile. “Excellent, I have.” She confirmed, before giving Lucy a stern expression. “Though you really should prepare for things like this, it will be no small feat, always have a plan of your own in case something critical happens,”

By no means was a lecture what Lucy had thought she’d be receiving from Erza at that moment, but the passion in the red head’s gaze told her to nod and agree for the sake of her life.

She proceeded to lay down an entirely thought through blueprint to the endeavor that Lucy had not been expecting. She’d witnessed the number of people that Fairy Tail held at near full capacity, but by the way her partner spoke there was to be much more competition than what she was thinking. She didn’t understand why Natsu had put up so much fight when he’d been paired with Gray, other than their relationship being less than copesetic by the looks, but he’d yelled something about the girls “having all the fun.”

Lucy couldn’t quite wrap why he thought that scrambling with an unknown number of Dark Mages would be fun, but they didn’t share the same sentiment she was sure.

“I shall go after Erigor,” Erza finished as she explained their collective efforts. “Do not fret, I will fight alongside you until we have dwindled their numbers and then assume him. It is soundproof,” She assured, confidence never waning.

The Celestial Mage’s mind calibrated the plan and the necessary steps that it took to obtain the victory as she agreed. The thought that the situation could become life or death within a matter of moments slowly crept to the forefront of her thoughts, compelling her to voice concern and displeasure about the situation, but she kept them to herself.

“Are you ready?” Erza asked, pulling her from her mind.

Lucy refused to let herself rethink what she was about to do, opting to stay focused instead. She nodded firmly, fearing her voice would show her apprehension.

“Then let’s go.”

The two stalked the building that had been far closer than Lucy would have realized, walking wide circles around the acreage as Erza scouted for their entrance.

It was pointless though, as the Mage’s plan was to utilize the element of surprise. They stopped at the entrance wall of the guild, Erza assessing the building before taking a deep breath.

Lucy’s eyes widened as a sudden rush of indescribable magic blew past her like an ocean wind. She turned to find her comrade engulfed in white before her image shattered and suddenly the armor she’d been wearing lost its appeal at the sight of the angel-like body shield.

Without warning she stepped forward, swords appearing around her back like a steel peacock fan. With a simple slash of the blade in her hand, she pointed the object at the wooden front. On cue, the blades spiraled before flushing around her and aiming towards the guild.

From where they stood, Lucy could make out the light chaos from within the dark guild’s walls, and the quiet that overtook them when Erza began to move, something unsettlingly powerful about her magic. Before Lucy could make out the fear that sweated her palms and the growing feast of her stomach that anxiety had begun, Erza attacked.

The swords connected in a twirl of flashed steel, tearing apart the front of the building with ease. The men that stood in the exposed hall composed themselves after a blink and needed no further time to adjust to the attack.

“I am Erza Scarlet of Fairy Tail,”

The Celestial Mage watched as the Requip Mage strode paces forward, not a hint of a tremble to her stance. “You have muddled the name of my guild with your inferior intentions, and you will pay.”

The dust settled through the air, as though a storm raged within the outcrop of trees. The group of men stood ready, waiting for something that the girls presumed was their master’s instruction.

But in a moment their surprise was taken as the ceiling collapsed from within, supports giving way for the master to swarm in the air like hungry flies.

 

***

 

“That was less exciting than what I was hoping for,” Gray said as he dusted off his hands, body effectively naked.

Natsu sat disgruntled on the ground, legs crossed in front of him while he sported a frown. “You could say that again, but they got more action than we did,” He grumbled, arms finding their way across his chest.

The Magic Council had yet to show up, apparently, demon flutes that could level a city were not of top priority. Natsu had found himself dealing with messes that he and Gray had created throughout the course of the battle. They’d met up with the team at the train station, expecting far less than what they faced, not that that was a problem.

The Dragon Slayer recalled the almost disturbing ease with which he and the Popsicle fought together, Happy swooping in at considerable times to lend necessary aid. The pair knew they’d have to attack after Erza and Lucy made their main raid on the primary party at the guild. If Erigor had gotten word that two Mages and a blue cat had attacked their elite team, that Natsu was almost certain wasn’t elite, serious consequences would have ensued.

As Natsu was beginning to release his impatience through the up and down motion of his leg bouncing, the lacrima that Gray and Erza shared connectedly began blinking, the signal for their attack.

The Dark Mages hadn’t made many movements to spring an attack, but the three didn’t expect them to. The group of Mages that accompanied Kageyama was merely to make sure that the plan was set and sailed correctly. From what Lucy had said about Lullaby, even the Shadow Mage’s allies would be caught in the crossfire. Precisely why Natsu didn’t worry about the cursed flue as they fought.

Gray had taken care of the semi-conscious wizards, doing what needed to be done to restrain them while his Dragon Slayer companion sulked.

“Jeez, don’t look so pathetic.”

Natsu’s head snapped to the comment, ready to return with vigor before his eyes landed on the strange wooden object in the Ice Mage’s hand. “That the flute?”

Gray’s own gaze flicked to the instrument before he rolled his eyes. “What else would it be?” Tauntingly sarcastic. The dick.

Natsu set it aside, deciding to look on the ground in front of him instead of engaging, something in his telling him that he shouldn’t start a fight with a dangerous magical object in the hands of his opponent.

“You talk to Gramps yet?”

“About what, this thing?” Gray asked specifically, putting the object back in the briefcase that had housed it throughout most of the fight.

Natsu growled. “Of course, what else?”

The Ice Mage shrugged, sitting down beside his partner but a comfortable distance away. “Dunno, could have been talking about anything, but the answer to your question is no, haven’t got the chance to. Figured that I didn’t need to make things more difficult than they had to be, and just let him in when we meet up with Erza and Lucy.”

“If the Council ever gets here,” Happy said as he landed on Natsu’s head. He’d volunteered to survey the area every so often until the Magic Council showed. Making sure that there was no surprise raid that they weren’t let in on, or just to give them a little time to prepare before the fuzz showed.

“Normally they aren’t this late,” Natsu observed, it had been some time since the commotion had started, which meant that an assigned group of stuck up magical knights would be all over the scene in minutes. Or so they thought.

 

***

 

The power surged from her fingertips, rage leaving her in swaths as light exploded from her skin. Taurus erupted, followed quickly by Scorpio who followed Lucy’s orders as she flung man after man across the dark guild’s hall with the leather appendage in her hands. Bodies went flying out the hole that Erza had produced when they had arrived.

She’d never experienced a fight like the one that she was in. Her adrenaline pumped, boiling under the surface of her skin as she dodged an attack aimed for her head. Threats were yelled at her, but they fell on deaf ears as Lucy’s frown torn through the men’s resolve.

Her whip cracked against the hand of a wizard, with a twist of her wrist the Celestial weapon followed her lead and scanted against the expression of the dark guild.

“Lucy!” She heard her Spirit call, knowing immediately the signs of his large attack. The blonde used the momentum of a fire attack that imploded next to her to fling herself from the track of the Scorpion’s thralls.

Landing after a roll through the air Lucy watched with pride as another wall of the guild was collapsed with the power of her Spirit’s sand. Dark Mages were swept away and outside, where Erza fought the master, Erigor, in the air.

When the fighting had first begun Lucy had been astonished at the gifts that Erza had for war. She’d taken to demolishing the front of the guild personally, requipping into a set of armor that Lucy had to admire as beautiful and terrifying in equals. The roof came off soon later as the master flew through in a display of power. The Air Mage would have long since been defeated if not for the group of skilled mages that fought alongside him, pushing back the Titania’s attacks with all they could muster.

“Taurus!” Lucy yelled, narrowly avoiding a blackened blast that hoped to strike her. Her eyes were pinned on a particular group of Mages, their magic more dangerous than others, needing to be dealt with. She had just a spell in mind.

The Bull turned towards her, acknowledging her sprinting form and took his cue with a lusted grin. He held his large axe in front of him at an angle, positioning his hands in their respective places.

Lucy dashed towards the war weapon, the moment her foot was on the middle the Bull pushed her into suspension.

The Summoner jumped from the axe, darting through the air at a speed that rivaled Erigor. She turned as she felt the pull of air friction begin to halt and searched through the Dark Mages for her targets.

The seven had dispersed, dealing respectively with her Spirits while a single one had wide eyes on her. Her hands met together in front of her chest emanating a golden glow. She was caught in the atmosphere of the fight for a moment before her body rotated perpendicular to the ground. Her arms extended to either side of her, a hand aimed towards the guild floor and the other to the sky above.

A magic circle appeared under the feet of the Mages, golden and sparking for only a moment before it thundered upwards, the circle shattering and replaced with a monolith of light, encapsulating the circumference of the circle and perimeter of the guild.

Lucy twirled as she fell back to the floor, landing with a graceful ease that she didn’t expect as her Spirits disappeared. Her magic waned, but she watched the more powerful men slowly standing from their stupor as others lay conquered, the spell she cast merely one to daze them.

In what would look like a single gesture to anyone witnessing two more Spirits appeared from clouds of smoke from either side of Lucy.

“Hello boys,” She greeted as Cancer and Sagittarius came to view, battle ready.

“Miss Lucy, we shall take care of this mess,” The Archer promise, Cancer nodded his agreement before they went to work.

Arrows shot at anything that moved, excluding the ever illusive Crab as he slashed through the crowd, clipping away at dignity, hair, and resolve alike.

With every attack Lucy livened, joining in with odd compulsion. She slashed at any that negatived an attack from her partners.

“I’m getting really sick of you and your magic tricks, bitch!” She heard a particularly resilient opponent spit as a black watery substance took over his fist.

She dodged in the space she had, obtaining the skid of the blow, which seemed to worsen on impact. Her hands went to her side on instinct as he made to lay another hit.

One which never landed, Lucy’s screwed shut eyes opened to find Erza standing over his crumpled body. She wore her normal attire, the armor fitting her just as the battle-worn outfits had, brandishing a sword.

“Filthy Dark Mages,” She grumbled, the blonde realized then that it didn’t even appear as she’d fought anyone. The Requip Mage hadn’t a scratch on her, not to mention a hair out of place. The red head’s gaze scanned the room before she thrust a hand towards Lucy, who took it hesitantly. Surprised to find the gentleness with which Erza helped her to her feet.

“I suggest you surrender,” Erza’s voice was so sure of herself, the hard edge to her tone ordering, never giving the standing guild members an option.

The blonde lost her hold on the Gates soon after, watching in amazed puzzlement as Erza crushed the hope of those that wished to continue fighting for their unjust causes.

Steel swirled and crashed, the sound of blade hitting blade rand in the dusted air. Lucy’s stare found its way outside where the highest skilled lay slain on the ground, injuries leaking and bloodshot eyes.

A moment later, Lucy flinched against a hand that landed on her shoulder, climbing he the limb to Erza’s face which held a hint of confusion before she retraced and nodded once. “I informed the Magic Council of the whereabouts of Eisenwald beforehand, they will show up momentarily.”

Lucy’s brows furrowed, she could feel the understanding trying to bloom but the Magic Council seemed to be another foreign subject on her. She nodded, not trusting the ignorance in her words. Something within her stung at the sheer amount of subjects that were lost to her, the urge to learn screaming against her sudden exhaustion.

“You are an excellent fighter,” Erza said, catching Lucy’s attention, she sat at a partially demolished table, a leg crossed over another. “Where did you learn such technique?”

The amount of magic expelled from a fight that Lucy had never expected she’d be in tightened her muscles sorely as she took the seat Erza gestured her to.

“I’ve been told I have a natural talent,” she worded precariously, it was not the answer the redhead was looking for, but it wasn’t a lie either.

Erza judged what she received, Lucy's stomach soured at the curious expression that overtook her face.

“I see,” She ended, scanning the line surrounding the area with trees. “Some are just blessed in that way.”

Before Lucy could find a response cracking reached her ears, faint and from the direction that led to the guild. She almost forgot that someone was supposed to be showing up, her fists clenching before she let them go.

It was a matter of seconds before the soldiers broke through the treeline down the trail, dressed in coats while wielding a variety of weapons. There were two leaders, followed by a decent group and then a multitude of wagons, which Lucy could only assume was to transport the Mages that had been disabled.

“Erza Scarlet,” One of the leaders called.

They had a brief conversation while the soldiers cuffed and collected the Mages and stuffed them into the trucks. The Celestial  Mage watched as Dark Mage after Dark Mage hung their head and climbed in, confusing her about their fighting spirit, or lack thereof.

It took very little time before she and her partner were dismissed. Erza wanted to stay and make sure that things would be properly taken care of, but she caved eventually.

“Come, Lucy, we are to meet Gray, Natsu, and Happy in Clover Town and assist where it is needed.”

The blonde was beginning to understand that Erza’s word was final.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good day everyone! How are we all feeling?  
> Well, I'll tell you how I'm feeling. Horrible, for how long this took to get out, almost a month, I am so sorry to everyone that's waited on me. I have never experienced such bad writer's block before, and I'm not sure I'm over it. This chapter isn't... my favorite, I wanted it to be far longer, and more dynamic and drama filled- so much fighting! Right? Wrong, it's kinda short and hops around a lot, but I guess it got the point across.  
> But I'm still happy with it, I had fun writing when I actually wrote, and that's what's important.  
> Now for our regularly scheduled programming:  
> Thank you to MadisonMikazuki, your words of kindness melted my heart!  
> Angelwatt123, I am so glad that you see things the way that I do, I like that we think alike.  
> VesselFMT, ah, my darling. What to say, thank you for all of your encouragement, you keep me goin'.  
> My old friend, GummySpectrum, thank you so much for looking out for me, you are so nice and so helpful, even inadvertently.  
> You all mean so much to me, thank you so much for taking the time out of your day to let me know your thoughts. You are too kind.  
> Until next time!


	13. What the Wind Brings

They cuffed his hands with fervor, leaving harsh evidence of their actions his wrists. He noted that being stuffed into a large ended wagon after his guildmates, was probably one of the most pleasant things about being defeated by the sunshine guild Fairy Tail. The humiliation was like a cold, wet blanket; irritating and of the utmost disappointment.

“Hey, gentle,” Kageyama mocked as a guard shoved him into the cart.

The knight scoffed, turning away from him in disgust. “That’s the last of them, sir,” He said as he so justly guarded the door.

His superior must have responded wordlessly because a matter of moments later the door was being shut to the haven for the Shadow Mage and his comrades. He grimaced, his face drawing down in displeasure as the reality of the situation sunk in. Any moment the wagon would lurch forward and take his band to be judged by the people they were trying to liberate themselves of.

And it was all that blonde girl’s fault.

 

***

 

She had been on edge for days, the christening feeling of _wrong_ drifting up and down her spine every waking moment. She found herself awake more often than not, exchanging time between the rare trips to the guild and in search of information in less conspicuous places.

The blonde hadn’t taken a job since the incident with Lisanna, her absence from the official greeting hall of Fairy Tail prompting plenty of lunchly visits from the recovering Mage. They found themselves stuffed and regretting the amount of food they took for the hours proceeding before night crept across the sky, encouraging Lisanna to return.

Other than the increasing visits, Lucy remained comfortably isolated in her home. Though a feeling lingered in the walls.

Makarov had informed the group of four that had been involved in the takedown of Eisenwald that a member had escaped during a prison transfer, but refused to share information and specifics. Leaving speculation to consecrate the residual haunt of Lucy’s days and nights.

There had never been a time that the Celestial Spirit Mage felt safe, though she knew that her usefulness granted her life when she occupied the underground, she was certain that criminals didn’t share the same mentalities that her Assignists did. The twist in her gut telling her that she was digging herself into a pit of worry.

Lucy’s lip twitched as she watched the sun go down behind the trees that crested atop a hill. A chill ran against her arms, forging her way to the window, closing the pane to be rid of the feeling.

She had seen Natsu and Happy twice since they returned the days previous, it seemed like forced confrontation to Lucy, but she didn’t dare characterize the experiences. They’d met as Lucy entered the hall as they exited, greeting her, and carried on to what she assumed was a job out of town.

The next time had been when Lisanna brought over a lunch from the guild, Natsu and Happy accompanying her, though they stayed rather quiet until the blonde shut the door, to which stated how anti-social the Celestial Mage was.

“It’s not my fault, is it?”

The Celestial Mermaid sighed in annoyed distress, her head thrown back with two fingers pinching the bridge of her nose. “Yes, it is. You’ve met them, you’ve worked a job with them, get over whatever it is that’s bothering you.”

She disappeared shortly after, claiming something about Lucy’s relationship status before leaving the girl to wallow.

There was nothing that was bothering her, she’d decided, but the tightness that rested in between her shoulders told her that her hesitation shouldn’t be misconstrued.

With a sigh, Lucy put away the information for another day, her current state of mind revolved around her assignment. She had little idea of where to begin, assuming that the first “gathering” was to ensure her Assignists that she could do her job. Which at the moment, she was having trouble with.

Problems had arisen from the moment she stepped outside looking for answers. The first being the people that she encountered almost automatically. Stepping out of her apartment had proven to be a lot more overwhelming mid-day. Her progress had been stunted. She’d inconspicuously brought the matter up in conversation with Levy when she’d visited the guild the day after returning. The bluenette had been eager to share with her everything about the area, but her partners were even more eager to work; stealing her away for a job that she’d promised before Lucy could sufficiently understand.

A growl filled the homey space. Lucy’s stomach letting her know that sustenance was in order very soon. She peeled herself away from the image of the outside world, making her way across the darkening apartment with a practiced ease that belonged to someone who had lived in the space for far longer than a week.

Her preparation of food was less than viable, between the visits from Lisanna and the social anxiety that rids of everyday confidence, her kitchen would be considered empty.

Apples lay in a bowl on the table, bread from the previous morning stored in a cupboard, and an odd amount of hot sauce that she couldn’t remember gathering. She’d never had the luxury of cooking for herself, and it showed.

Her hand picked up the apple, the meat giving beneath the skin, telling Lucy that the fruits would go bad soon. She bit into it with little extra thought, pouring herself a glass of water, lukewarm, her teeth too sensitive from years of room-temperature water to handle the hot or cold settings of the faucet.

As she walked back to the main room, a detail struck her, cold air brushing past her arm.

Hadn’t she closed the window?

 

***

 

“This is getting ridiculous, Natsu.” Happy commented from the air, his bobbing form showing the exhaustion with the conversation that his partner had begun.

The Dragon Slayer shot the cat a glare, “It’s not ridiculous, she hates me.” He was sure the blonde had found something about him that put her off, the way she avoided him was his first clue.

“So what if she does? Gray hates you, and you don’t care,” He pointed out, the blue feline watched as a grimace surfaced on Natsu’s face at the mention of his nemesis.

“Yeah, but I want to punch Gray in the face for it.” Natsu’s answer definitive to him but only spiraled Happy into further confusion.

The cat floated down gracefully before a resounding ‘pop’ could be heard and he landed on his partner’s head. “Why can’t you just punch Lucy then?” He asked, confident that his question was as simple as it seemed.

“I don’t want to punch Lucy!” Natsu argued.

“Why not? Is it because you’re afraid of her, like Erza?” The genuine tone in Happy’s voice brought a pout to the pinkette’s face.

“I’m not scared of either of ‘em…” He grumbled, Happy was sure that if he hadn’t been carrying his bag he’d have crossed his arms like a child.

“Then what’s wrong, you always want to punch something.”

Natsu weighed his teammate’s words, eyes mindlessly scanning the area surrounding them. “I don’t know, somethin’s different about her, buddy.”

Memories of the blonde standing in the river resurfaced; her companion and spirits. He couldn’t wrap his mind around the myth to miracle transition that the Golden Gates took. He grew up believing the legends, but they were nothing else at the time.

“Do you _liiiike_ her?”

The question riled him from his thoughts all at once, the jerking motion from his head as he tried to get a better look at the culprit causing the dislodge of the cat from his skull. Natsu watched dumbfounded as Happy snickered and shook in giggles at his remark, obviously proud of himself.

He waved away the idea with a grimace shot at his friend before continuing his trek.

“Course not, she’s just weird.”

Happy’s chortling stopped as he considered that. “She is pretty weird, huh?” He concluded.

“Aye, sir.”

The remainder of the walk home was spent in easy conversation, one that flitted between the two, the subject of Lucy brought up a few time here and between.

The sun was setting down, deep in the heart of Magnolia. Shops closed their doors for the day, the light in houses and apartments alike growing dimmer with the absence of the sun. Happy led his partner through the streets, the familiar scent blanketing the valley and all within it.

The pair moseyed their way to the guild, feet tired from a long day of walking, though the need to feel the energy of the guild resting on the forefront of their minds. Natsu can already hear the chaos as he approached the large doors to the guild; although the atmosphere was unfamiliar to him as he steps inside.

There are frantic glances being thrown about, eyes furiously meeting others in a panic. Core members, about the only people Natsu, expected to be at the guild, familiar faces of his guildmates contorted into worry that he didn’t understand.

“Natsu!” Lisanna shouted, rushing to him with a speed that he found surprising in the apparel that she adorned. The Dragon Slayer noted the dirt on the fringed bottoms, indicating a quick pursuit. His eyes scanned her, eventually landing on her sweaty forehead, silver hair matting against the skin it came in contact with. “We have a problem,” Her voice somewhat hoarse.

“What kind of problem?”

“A Lucy problem,” Gray answered. Natsu’s gaze fell on the nonchalant Ice Mage, drink in hand. He lounged, somehow comfortably on a bar stool.

Natsu snarled. Of course.

“She wasn’t at home,” Lisanna said after the pinkette readdressed her.

“Did she take an overnight job?” Natsu noted the fact that he was the one talking reason, the snickering from his companion must have meant he shared in the sentiment.

Mira shook her head from the corner of his peripherals. “She didn’t come in today.”

Happy landed on the bar counter, excited to receive a pet from the terrifying Take-Over Mage. “Well, how do you know something is wrong?” He asked, miraculously pulling a fish from his green pouch.

“Her apartment was ransacked,” Erza interjected, entering the scene with a gusto that everyone recognized as power. “After Lisanna rushed back, I offered my assistance. There were signs of a great struggle, lingering magic power.”

Natsu’s hand came to his face, brushing the hair from his eyes before dragging it dramatically down his features. “What do you want me to do exactly?” He asked, exchanging glances between Lisanna and Erza.

“It’s pretty obvious. Find her, dumbass,” Gray said, standing from his stool, no sign of his shirt.

“Oi, who you callin’ dumb ass, Icicle?” The challenge left his tongue before he could register whatever else his nemesis had said.

Gray smirked hands deep in the pockets of jeans. “Didn’t hear me the first time, Fire Eater?”

“Boys,” Erza warned her aura that of death.

A simultaneous apology left the opposing Mages with a nearing practiced ease. Natsu glared at the ground, the reminiscent feeling of dots that could be connected clouding his thoughts.

“Where do you want to start?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, my dears, I am so, so, so, so sorry for the wait. This was awful, I feel terrible for making you all practice your patience like that. But! Here's a new chapter. I know it's short, I also know it's not the end to this arc yet, but I hope you'll forgive me, I'm gonna draw it out a little more because I've decided to add more importance to it. I'm sure a lot of you can guess where the next few chapters may be leading, perhaps we know what's happening to Lucy? I've realized that I have very perceptive readings, and I love it.  
> As for this chapter, it was short, I know. I started writing it like two months ago...and then school starting actually kicking my whole ass. Again, I'm so sorry for the wait.  
> But, here comes my favorite part of the "End of Chapter Notes", the comments!  
> VesselFMT, I hope I didn't lose you, darling, with this wait. I know it was sooo brutal, for everyone involved, but thank you for always just seemin' to get this story. I always look forward to seeing what you have to say about the new chapters. And it is a true blessing to have such a kind reader like yourself.  
> MadisonMikazuki, I am so happy that you have enjoyed the story up until this point, you are truly so encouraging, thank you. I hope I didn't disappoint you with this wait.  
> GummySpectrum! Ahhh! Whenever I thought of you I always felt guilty! I am so, so, so sorry for the temporary hiatus. It was cruel. Thank you so much for always reading and being so analytical, it keeps this story going. And a special thank you for always checking up on me when I fall off the face of the Earth, it means a lot.  
> And Iluvfanfic, You're a newcomer to the scene, but I love you all the same! I'm really glad that you like the perspective of this fic. I hope you continue to read, there is so much development to be done, and I know you'll just love it.  
> Welp, that was everyone. Hopefully I'll be able to get a couple chapters out in the next few weeks, my first term just ended, so I'm free from college for a month, thank the Lord. Let's see where this takes us, shall we?

**Author's Note:**

> I'm still new to writing Fanfiction, this will be my second work. I accept criticism, and implore feedback in fact. Thank you to any one who read this, paying me with time is simply marvelous. I appreciate the opportunity to entertain my wandering mind, thank you~!


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